God Loves You, Yes You!

God Loves You, Yes You!

Jeremiah 29:13 “When you look for me, you will find me. Yes, when you seek me with all your heart.”

I was listening to the Bible in a year podcast today and Fr. Mike talked about Jeremiah 29:11, which I talked about in the episode titled An Unexpected Handstand.  Jeremiah 29:11 I have probably referenced in other devotionals as well as it is one of the first verses I learned and it is one that many people use as their life verse.  Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  This is a really good verse to put on a sticky note and put it on your fridge, your bathroom mirror, anywhere you will see it.  It is a great reminder that God has a plan for you and it's a good one.  It is one full of hope not despair.  If you have been wondering if God has a plan for your life, write this scripture down and memorize it.

Today I don’t want to talk about that scripture though.  When Fr. Mike was reading, he went beyond that one verse and read a few more.  As I was listening I was struck by Jeremiah 29:13.  I felt instantly that the Holy Spirit had something to say to all of us about that verse.  Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”  What instantly came to mind was the with all your heart.  The thought came to mind, “Are we doing this?  I am not questioning if we are seeking God because I think many of us are, but are we doing it with all of our heart?  

I think the reason this thought came to mind is because of the word or prophecy that I received at prayer group today.  The word I received was, “I love you my children.  I tell you this often but some of you can’t hear me. I love you, each one of you, individually, right where you’re at, exactly who you are.  I love you.  Let my love in.  Feel my love.  Let my love fill you up.  I love you my children.”  Can you hear these words?  I am asking this because I truly want to know.  Can you hear the Lord when He says that He loves you?  Do you know that the Lord loves you?  Do you believe that He loves you just as your are right where you are?  

If I had a fairy godmother and she granted me only one wish, I would wish for everyone in the world to know God’s love.  That is how important I think it is.  Since I do not have a fairy godmother I am making that my mission in life.  I know, it probably sounds like a crazy mission.  How can one person share God’s love with the whole world?  I don’t know how I can do it, and that’s ok.  I don’t have to know how.  All I have to do is say yes when God asks me to do something and He will show me the next right step.  But that is not the topic of today’s devotional.  Today we are talking about how much God loves you.  Why is this so hard for so many people to believe?  

Be honest with yourself when you answer the questions above?  No one will know your answers but you.  Well, you and God, but he already knows the truth.  So it’s just you that you have to be honest with.  If your answer is no, no you can’t hear Him tell you that He loves you, no you don’t know that He loves you or no, you can’t believe that He loves you, the first thing I want to tell  you is that you are not alone.  I know the devil wants you to feel that way.  He wants you to feel like you are the only one, like something is wrong with you because everyone else can feel God’s love.  This is NOT true.  There are many reasons why people can’t feel God’s love and there are lots of people that have those reasons.  

I might even say that the people who do feel God’s love may be in the minority.  That would just be a guess, I have not facts or research to back that up.  All I know is that so many people do not love themselves.  If we can’t love ourselves then how can we believe that someone else could love us? I went to a women’s conference, and the speaker and organizer, Rachel Hollis, said that at one of her events she asked how many woman hated their bodies.  Not just didn’t like some part of it, but hated their bodies, and over 90% of the women stood up. If 90% of those women hated their bodies, then how many of them do you think have trouble believing that they are loved by God unconditionally, just as they are?  Believe me when I say, you are not alone.  

The second thing I want you to know is that it is never too late.  God’s love is always waiting for you.  He has loved you since the beginning of time and that is never going to change.  He is a patient God and He will wait until you are ready for His love.  Does He want to lavish it on you right now, definitely!  Actually He probably already is.  I don’t think that His love is not there, I think its just that we can’t feel it.  Kind of like when our kids are looking for their shoes and they can’t find them.  Sometimes they are looking right at them, but somehow, they still can’t see them.  Some of you may be feeling like you are too old for God to start loving you now.  You may be thinking you have done too many bad things for God to ever forgive you enough to love you.  You may be thinking that God will love you when you get your stuff together, but right now He is too disappointed in you to love you.  If this is you please try to hear me when I say,

THAT IS THE ENEMY TALKING!!  You are not too old for God to start loving you because He never stopped.  There was never a time in your life when He didn’t love you.  You have not done too many bad things for God to forgive you.  All you have to do is ask Him and He will forgive you.  And by the way, the same goes for you. Even when you were doing those things, God never stopped loving you.  God is not disappointed in you.  God has so much grace.  His grace is overflowing.  God does not look at us and see all that we lack.  He looks at us and sees all that we do.  He knows you are doing your best.  He knows you are human.  He just wants you to keep showing up.  Just keep trying.  God is not looking for perfection.   He just wants you.

Ok, now that you know you are not alone, and you know that it is not too late, how can you let God’s love in?  How can you believe that you are lovable?  The best thing you can do is ask God for help.  God knows why you can’t feel His love.  He knows your history, He knows your heart, He knows what is blocking His love.  If you want to remove those blocks, God is the answer.  He is just waiting for you to invite Him in.  He is waiting for you to ask Him for help.  God can do all things but He will not do it without your permission.  He is a gentleman and is waiting for you to invite Him in to your heart.  Once you do, He can get to work.  We had another word given at today's prayer meeting and I feel like someone listening to this episode needs to hear it.  I will end with the Lord’s words.  The word was, “There are many doors to your heart that are still only cracked open to my love.  Listen with your heart, receive the light in the crack of the doors and open it wider.  There are many things in your life that are still not mine, that you have not given me.  I wish to receive them so that I may heal them.  So that the light of my love will shine brighter in your heart of hearts where I will reside and I will change you. But you, I ask, to call upon me to open the doors so I may cleanse you and heal you to a brighter, more holy, more loving commune with me.”

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that you bless all those listening to this episode today.  Lord we ask that you help us to feel your love.  Fill us up with that love.  If we are struggling to feel your love shine a light on any healing that needs to be done.  Lord, we ask that you show us which doors need to be opened and we ask that you help us open them.  We want to receive your light Lord, please help us.  Lord, you are amazing.  We are so grateful for your unconditional love.  We love you Lord and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus’ holy name. Amen.