Hear God Say, "I Love You!"

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"How does God feel about me?" This is one of the most frequent and most important questions that I am asked. Tragically, some feel that God is frowning at them. And others feel that He is standing off at a distance, removed from them.

Oh, to see His smile! To sense His love, personal and true. To hear his voice and to know his guidance. It changes everything for the better!

God Speaks Today!

I continually remind myself that God is communicating His loving feelings for me — right now. I believe that. Better yet, I've experienced that. Of course, I struggle with this sometimes, but there's nothing more important to me. How about you? Have you heard God communicate His great love for you?

Don't misunderstand me. I'm not referring to audible voices from heaven and angelic visitations. (Both of which I also believe in and are recorded in the Bible). I'm speaking of more ordinary means of communication - ordinary messages with extraordinary effects!

God shows His care to us in so many ways - warm sunshine, birds singing, a friend who listens, a smile from a stranger, and impressions from His Spirit, just to name a few. Listening for these divine messages and trusting in them is how to develop good images of God and yourself.

How to Listen

Many of us miss these divine messages though. We're not listening. We're too busy. Or our senses are dulled because they've been over stimulated.

Recently, I was with my family at a mountain nearby. We picked a great weekend. It had just snowed and the forest around was a winter wonderland! The trees were covered in snow, glistening like crystal and pure white. Against the backdrop of the blue sky it was breathtaking.

Especially meaningful to me was a walk through the national forest that my wife and I took. We walked and talked for a while and tried to take in all of God's beauty. Spontaneously we stopped. We stood completely still and quiet. We didn't make a sound. We looked all around and listened.

The longer we listened the more we heard. Gone were the sounds of car engines racing, snow blowers blowing, planes soaring, children sledding, and even our own voices. Instead, we heard the wind rustling through the trees, birds singing, icicles dripping, bits of snow from the trees plopping to the ground, and little animals scurrying about. And the sounds of nature got louder and louder as we quietly listened.

I felt as if God were hugging me. The warmth of His love filled my soul and He whispered a holy mystery in me ear: That's the way you hear my voice.

The longer we quiet our souls and listen the better we are able to hear God speak and to take in His love. This is so important! When we don't take in God's love for us we struggle emotionally. We feel unsure, insecure, empty, or just bad about who we are inside. Some people have felt this way since childhood. To cover up this pain we may isolate, eat, get busy, work, try to impress people, get religious, or...

Listen to God

Or we can listen to God's answer to our longing to be loved for who we are. He's made His feelings known! He's committed Himself to us in writing by putting His feelings about you and I down on paper. These words became flesh and blood in Jesus. They bring life and health to our whole beings. They represent the messages we need to share and to hear from loved ones.

Listen to what God has to say about you. Read my paraphrases of a panoramic sampling of Scriptures that communicate the depth and breadth of God's love for you and I.

Listen. Trust. Then smile, hold your head high, and live as you're meant to!

A Love Letter from God

Dear Friend,

I love you! (John 3:16) I chose you when I planned creation (Ephesians 1:11-12) and I made you in my image (Genesis 1:27), knitting you together in your mother's womb (Psalm 139:13).

I know the number of the hairs on your head (Matthew 10:30) and I am familiar with all your ways (Psalm 139:3). My thoughts of you are as countless as the sand on the seashore (Psalm 139:17-18).

I am love (1 John 4:16) and the greatest commandment that I have for you is that you love (Matthew 22:37-40). My love is made complete in you when you receive my love for you and love others and me as I have loved you (1 John 4:7-21). To show you how to live this life of love I've given you Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17), laws that are good and pleasing to you (Psalm 119).

But you've sinned by breaking my laws (1 John 1:8). You've hurt others and you've hurt yourself (Romans 2:9). Most of all, your sins are against me (Psalm 51:4). You've hurt me (Luke 19:41) and angered me (Romans 2:8). I am the Lord (Exodus 6:2), the King of kings (1 Timothy 6:15), and the Righteous Judge (1 Peter 4:5) and it is a terrible thing to come under my righteous judgment (Hebrews 10:31).

So to fear me is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7). But you don't need to remain afraid of me for I am a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in love and faithfulness (Exodus 34:6). In fact, I've come to you in Jesus, not to Lord my authority and power over you, but to serve you (John 13:13-14). Knowing my perfect love will cast out all of your fear (1 John 4:18).

You see I've loved you from the beginning, long before you loved me (1 John 4:19). I sent my son Jesus, the exact representation of my being (Hebrews 1:3), to die in your place for your sins (Romans 5:8), to take upon Himself the punishment that you deserved (Isaiah 53:5). He became the sacrificial lamb and satisfied my righteous judgment (John 1:29).

Now I knock on the door of your heart, waiting for you to let me in (Revelation 3:20). When you put your faith in Jesus I forgive you for your sins (Acts 10:43) and choose not to remember them anymore (Isaiah 43:25). I adopt you into my family (Ephesians 1:5) and lavish you with my fatherly love (1John 3:1).

Then you are a new person (2 Corinthians 5:17) with a new self (Ephesians 4:24) and a new life (Romans 6:4). You have my precious righteousness as a gift (Romans 5:19). Your body becomes a temple for my Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19) and you become a saint (Ephesians 1:18).

Indeed, I want to make your righteousness to shine like the dawn (Psalm 37:6). I have called you and I am faithful to help you to be holy (1 Thessalonians 5:24). So when you are tempted to sin, look for the way out that I provide (1 Corinthians 10:13). And when you fail remember that I am waiting for you with open arms, quick to forgive you and to give you another chance (Luke 15:11-31).

I want nothing more than to give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4) and to do more for you than you can imagine (Ephesians 3:20). Whatever you need, look to me and I will provide (Philippians 4:19). I will give you love, joy, peace, and all the fruit of my Spirit, to fill your soul and for you to share with others (Galatians 5:22-23).

Since I care for you so much don't worry about getting your needs met and don't worry about tomorrow (Matthew 6:25-34). Give your burdens to me and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). I've given you my Holy Spirit to be your Comforter and Counselor (John 14-16). So don't walk alone; walk in my Spirit (Galatians 5:25) and trust in me and I will direct your paths (Proverbs 3:4-5) and bless you with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3).

Please know that as my child you are safe in my hands (John 10:28). I am a refuge for you (Psalm 9:9). Like a mother bird I cover you with my feathers in my nest (Psalm 91:1-4). When you pass through rivers of difficulty you will not be swept away. When you walk through fiery trials you will not be burned (Isaiah 43:2). So when you must walk through the valley of the shadow of death don't be afraid because I am with you, comforting and protecting you (Psalm 23:4). I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).

When you are brokenhearted I will draw close to you (Psalm 34:18). I'll cry with you (John 11:35). Like a shepherd holding his lamb, I'll carry you close to my heart (Isaiah 40:11). I'll collect all your tears in my bottle and record each one in my book (Psalm 56:8). I'll comfort you in your time of mourning (Matthew 5:4) and I'll turn your mourning into gladness (Jeremiah 31:13) and put a new song in your mouth (Psalm 40:3).

When enemies come against you I will fight for you (Psalm 44:7). Even when you do what is right people will insult you, criticize you, and mistreat you, but I will bless you (Matthew 5:11). Even when you trust your father and mother they may forsake you, but I will receive you (Psalm 27:10). If you find yourself poor remember that I've blessed you with true riches (Luke 6:20). If you find yourself last in line remember that with me those who are last will be first! (Matthew 20:16).

Yes, I am for you and not against you! (Romans 8:31) If I have been misrepresented to you by religious people who claim to know me but don't, (John 8:41-44) then know that I am against these hypocrites (Matthew 23). And if your earthly father has disappointed you, then please realize that I offer you more than he ever could (Matthew 7:9-11). I am the perfect Father (Matthew 5:48), the Father from whom all true fatherhood derives its name (Ephesians 3:15), and I love to give you good gifts (Matthew 7:11).

With me on your side your future is bright and full of hope! My plans are to prosper you and not to harm you (Jeremiah 29:11).

Even hardships, as painful as they may be, can be to your benefit if you endure them as loving discipline from me, opportunities for you to be trained in the ways of righteousness and peace (Hebrews 12; 6-11). Always remember that when you love me and seek my purposes that all things will work together for your good (Romans 8:28).

You need to realize that I have gifted you to serve me (Matthew 25:14-23) and I want to make you great! (Psalm 18:35). Discover your gift and use it in the body of Christ (Romans 12:4-8) because I have important work for you to do, work that I will help you accomplish by working alongside you (Haggai 2:4). Together we can accomplish great dreams (Mark 10:27) and move mountains! (Matthew 17:20).

But you're not just my servant. You're my friend! (John 15:15) More than that you're my beloved child! (1 John 3:1) You're precious and honored in my sight (Isaiah 43:4) and I rejoice over you with singing! (Zephaniah 3:17).

I will always love you (Jeremiah 31:3) and there's nothing that can ever separate you from my love (Romans 8:38-39).

One day soon I will wipe away your tears and take away your pain (Revelation 21:3-4) and reward you for all the good that you've done in my name (Revelation 22:12). And we will be together forever in the heavenly home that I have prepared for you (John 14:2). It is more beautiful and more wonderful than you can imagine (Revelation 21:10-27).

Love, God

P.S. If it's hard for you to trust my words and to receive my love in your heart then I urge you to work through this with one of my ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20) and to get involved in a caring community in the body of Christ where you can grow into my love (Romans 12:5).