Day 6 - Week 7 - Romans 5:8 - "But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us."

Aren't Sundays glorious days?  We are so blessed to be able to go to one of many Christian churches in our community, to share in worship with other Christians, to hear God's Word proclaimed, and to sing songs of worshipful praise to Him.  I feel especially blessed when I get to stand beside one of my children as I did  this morning, worshipping with my son, and then going with him to get his little girls from the children's area...actually all three of his girls, as his wife was also helping with children's worship.  Robert and I are so fortunate to be able to share much of our lives with our children and grandchildren, but seeing them in church is a very special kind of blessing.

As I listened to the words of this morning's sermon, this week's verse kept playing over and over in my head.  The sermon was on our sinfulness, how we are stained within, and how the only thing that can remove our stain is the forgiveness that comes from God through Jesus Christ.  When we ended the service singing,

"He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.
And oh, how He loves us oh,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all
He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves."*

I was just about overwhelmed by the affirmation of God's love for me.  I guess by dwelling on it throughout this week and then singing praise to Him because of His love, I felt a more complete understanding of  the depth of His love than I ever have before.  I'm coming to a clearer understanding that everything is driven by God's love for us, you can't separate any of the Bible story from start to finish from His love. 

From the pages of Moses....

Deuteronomy 7:9, "Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands."

To the Old Testament Prophets....

Joel 2:13, "Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love..."

Zephaniah 3:17, "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."  (don't you just love the picture that verse paints?)

To Jesus' prayer for all believers...

John 17:23, "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."

To the encouragement given to Christians from Paul... 

Romans 8:38-39, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Ephesians 2:4, "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved."

and from John...

1 John 4:16, "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love."

....the unifying theme is God's love for us.  When we finally get it through our thick heads that we are loved children, and that we have a Father God who loves us more dearly than the most loving earthly father has ever loved a child, then we can begin to abide in the peace that He provides for us and that He longs for us to experience.  Any father does not want to see his child in a state of anxiousness, but our Heavenly Father really wants us to give our cares to Him, "for He cares for us." 

Let's get over our false feelings of self-sufficiency that just lead to stress and misery...admit that we need the One who is able to carry all of our worries, cares and problems, and, as John reminds us, rely on the love He has for us.  A love that truly is beyond measure.

Just can't get that song out of my head...but then again, don't think I want to.

And oh, how He loves us oh,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all
He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves."*

*How He Loves by David Crowder Band [Christian Single Release 2009]