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"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
(John 3:16)
The first church I served as a pastor was Mount Gilead Baptist Church in Keller, TX. I was only 27 years old, and MGBC was the oldest church in Tarrant County. The church predates the Civil War, and the pastor in the old days would keep a pistol tucked away in the pulpit in case there was an Indian raid. The church today is thriving and goes by the name, The Mount. During this time, Ashley and I would have our three children (born in 1990, '92, and '94), and I would complete my PhD in 1995. It was a wonderful time, although a bit stressful at times too. It was at this time that a group of us in the church went through Dr. Robert McGee's helpful book entitled, The Search for Significance. I still remember to this day the following truth: "I have great worth apart from my performance because Christ gave His life for me and therefore, imparted great value to me. I am deeply loved, fully pleasing, totally forgiven, accepted, and complete in Christ."
For our devotions this week, I will write about some simple, yet powerful truths that most of us know but just need to be reminded of. First, allow these words to sink into your weary soul: "You are loved!" That's right: you! God loves you, and so do a whole lot of people. Some feel that God could not possibly love them because of past mistakes and sins committed against God and others. But that is simply not true. God is love, and He who knows you the best loves you the most! When we ask God to forgive us and we turn back to Him, He greets us with forgiveness and restores our broken relationship.
We all struggle at times with feelings of self-doubt or wondering if we are truly loved for just being who we are. I know the enemy of our souls loves nothing more than to condemn and criticize us. He whispers to us horrible lies that, unfortunately, we often believe. So, right now, I want to combat his lies with the truth of what God says about you. Ready for it? God loves you! Yes, I am talking to you!
Many are living under a heavy weight of stress. I read that before the pandemic, 1 in 5 people suffered from anxiety, but today, that ratio has increased to 1 in every 2; that's 50%. In these hard and stress-filled days, take a moment and reflect on God's incredible, unconditional love for you. It is so therapeutic. Do it now—soak in the truth of God's love for you.
One more time—YOU ARE LOVED!
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