God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

1 John 4:16-18

 

You may remember portions of this. But good things bear repeating.

In his book Soul Cravings, Erwin McManus talks about how bad it feels when we love someone but our love is not returned. “…if God’s love is immeasurable and unending, as the Hebrews describe him, how deep and profound must be his sense of sorrow and rejection. If anyone knows the pain of a love unreturned, it must be God.”

McManus goes on to say “This is the story of God: he pursues you with his love and pursues you with his love, and you have perhaps not said yes. And even if you reject his love, he pursues you ever still. It was not enough to send an angel or a prophet or any other, for in issues of love, you must go yourself. And so God has come.

​“This is the story of Jesus, that God has walked among us and he pursues us with his love. He is familiar with rejection but is undeterred. And he is here even now, still pursuing you with his love.”

​Mc Manus speaks to all of us—people like you and me who have a deep longing for love:

​”…God is going up and down the streets of the city, traveling the most obscure paths and untamed wilderness, walking on unnamed roads in the most desolate of places, searching for the one he loves—and that one is you and me and every human being who has ever walked this earth, has taken a breath, and has longed for love.”

​This passionate God loves us unconditionally, no matter who we are or what we might have done or not done. Jesus loved us so much that He gave his life for us. How it must hurt him when we don’t return his love!

I pray that you may accept the love God has for you. He’s been waiting for you.

marja