11/11/2022
Who are we that God would care for us, and love us so? Given how small and insignificant we are in comparison to our Lord, the creator of all things, what is it that he sees in us? Are we simply a creation that He has taken a liking to, or is there more to us, and a deeper origin of His love? Does He love us just because He can’t do otherwise? No, looking at the detail in His creation it is hard to fathom that He does anything without great purpose and forethought… so why? This is a great mystery, and a question David asked long ago in Psalm 8; a question that we continue to ask ourselves today.
“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?”
Psalm 8:3-4 ESV
We know many things about God’s love, beginning with the fact that He is love. But just because God is love many of us are tempted to stop right here, and say that God loves us because it is simply His nature. We try to convince ourselves that it is for this reason He must love us, but that can’t be completely so because we also read verses of scripture in which He chooses not to love… like hating those who do evil.
“For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.”
Psalm 5:4-5 ESV
Yet, if we believe that He doesn’t love the sinners and saints alike, how do we reconcile this with scripture that tells us that He loved us while we were still sinners?
“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”
Romans 5:8, 10 ESV
So, in the same way that we have the ability to love and hate, God doesn’t simply have to love us because He must. Even though He made us in His image we can still sin, and do evil things. Although in many ways we were made to reflect His goodness, there are parts of us that don’t… we are not perfect replicas of God, lest we be God, and not absolutely good as He is. Even Jesus, the most perfect of all men, who is both fully God and man, was tempted to sin. This is our lot as men; to be vulnerable to the temptation of sin, and a little lower than the heavenly beings.
“Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.”
Psalm 8:5 ESV
So David’s question presented to God remains,”What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” We continue through the ages to struggle with this mystery because we know our own imperfections, but God has given us a single Word answer if we will only accept it… grace… and it is manifest in His Son Jesus Christ. Grace culminates in believing in Christ, our redemption, forgiveness, and resurrection. Can we accept God’s grace, His unconditional love, and simply believe in who Jesus is, and that God’s grace is so?
Prayer:
Father, thank you for loving us while we were yet sinners, and pouring out your grace in the person of Jesus Christ so that we would be made pure in Him, and worthy of being in relationship with you. Help us Lord in our unbelief so that we will be perfected in our faith, and made righteous before you. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you out God whose thoughts, and ways, are far beyond ours, and often are a mystery to us. Praised be your name for knowing our hearts, and loving us despite our shortcomings. Merciful are you Lord as you call us to Jesus where we can come to know you through Him. Wash us clean of sin in His blood, and see His face only as we stand in judgement before you. Love us in that moment, and call us your worthy children. See no sin, and no evil, only our love for you as it radiates from our eyes, and seat us at your table forevermore.
Rich Forbes