A few years ago, I took a much-anticipated hike through Garden of the Gods, my favorite place in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The 300’ towering red sandstone formations make visitors marvel and the snowcapped peaks of the Rockies against the cerulean blue sky always amaze me.
Excited about soaking in the smells, sights, and sounds of God’s creation, I started out on a windy trail while listening to some great worship music. As I rounded the first bend, the beauty of God’s creation thrilled my heart and I wanted to burst into song. It was as if He had kissed me with His sky and embraced me with His rocks and trees. Suddenly, tears of gratitude washed my cheeks as I became acutely aware of His love.
Have you had moments like this when God’s affection consumed you? When His love swept in like a bandit and stole you away? In his book The Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning writes, “Amazement and rapture should be our reaction to the God revealed as love.”
Can you imagine what would happen if we were always amazed and enraptured by God and His love instead of often being crippled by unbelief? Would we rejoice every day in gratitude? If we wholeheartedly believed we are precious to God (Ephesians 1:6), adopted by Him (Ephesians 1:5), completely forgiven (Ephesians 1:7), and lavished with grace (Ephesians 1:7-8), would every day be like my walk through Garden of the Gods? And, how would believing His love change how we live?
Today, I wrote the following to Christ in my journal. I hope it encourages you.
Believing Your love is empowering. It frees me from the lie that I must carry my own burdens. In Your love, I find the courage I need to go where I wouldn’t go alone. It gives me the strength to try new things I wouldn’t try without You. It gives me the hope to venture into the unknown because I know You are always with me.
Your love has covered me from the start of my life until now. You will cover me until the finish. There is nowhere I can go to get away from Your love because there is nowhere I can go to flee from Your Spirit! (Psalm 139:7). No matter what risks I take, no matter what failures I experience, You are with me.
Oh, if we truly believed God’s love, we would risk for Him more often, stop thinking that following God is like walking on a tightrope, and trust that our failures are not final.
Are you convinced of God’s ever-present, never-changing, passionate love for you? If not, how would believing it alter your life? Would you start a business? Love with abandon? Go on a mission trip? Change jobs? Financially invest in new endeavor? Trust your children to Him? Get married again? Start a ministry? What would you do if you chose to believe God’s love has you covered?
I encourage you to allow the truth of God’s passionate love for you to sink into your heart today.
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are Mine.” (Isaiah 43:2)
Additional Resources
The Blueprint for Life Bible Study is designed to help you live with intentionality in light of eternity! The study contains a life-planning notebook and ten audio messages featuring Andy Stanley, Louie Giglio, Tony Evans, and more. Now available for digital download. Click here to check it out!
