Jesus urges us to call God our “Abba” or “daddy” Father when we pray. It’s why Jesus says that “God so loved the whole world” (and that means you and me) that He sent Jesus to give us life and set us free.
Paul encouraged all of us to meditate on God’s incredible love: “… that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to COMPREHEND with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— TO KNOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST which passes knowledge; that you may BE FILLED with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19)
God made us in His own image. Just think of how that makes Him feel every time He looks at us. “So God created us in HIS OWN IMAGE; in the image of God He created us; male and female He created us.” (Genesis 1:27) Just think, His thoughts about us are more numerous than all the grains of sand on all the beaches on earth. “How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.” (Psalms 139:17-18) On top of all that, God is singing over us. Right now. “The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, HE WILL REJOICE OVER YOU WITH SINGING.” (Zephaniah 3:17)
Most of us as Christians go through our lives without the real awareness of God’s amazing love that is in our hearts. Instead, we walk around feeling empty, or stressed out; totally unaware of the pouring out of God’s love, continually, over us night and day. Maybe we don’t consider God’s love for us, because deep down inside we’re convinced that we don’t deserve that kind of love, and certainly not from someone as Holy and Perfect as God. Yet that’s the whole point of God’s love: IT’S OURS, WE HAVE IT NOW, AND NOTHING CAN EVER CHANGE THAT.
-Bill Stockham