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"God loves you. Some have heard it too little, some have heard it but not understood it, some have heard it but not believed it, others have heard it so many times that it has become meaningless. What does it mean to be loved by God? A brief reflection to meditate on further and explore in prayer together with God:
If you love another person, it is not selfish to say, "it makes me happy to make you happy' or ' me want to spend time with you because I enjoy that'. It is not selfish to rejoice in the other; it is a natural response to loving the other. If it is love to rejoice yourself in the other, may I know that God rejoices in me.
God rejoices in me!
Love also means setting aside time to spend in the company of that other person. If it is love to want to be with the other person, may I know that God wants to be with me.
God wants to be with me are!
Love is choosing the other. Not being chosen last like early with gym, but first. You I want! If it is part of love to always choose for the other I may know that God chooses me, wants me on his team.
God chooses me!
Love is finding the other person unique and different and experiencing that very thing as special. Sometimes we cannot believe that we are allowed to be there, that we have a right to exist, that we are wanted. From another we can easily believe this. From the one we love we know for sure. Now we are we That Beloved, and God wants me to be there. He not only created my unique self, but wants me. If it is part of love to find the other person special, may I know that God finds me special.
God finds me special!
We've all done things we're not proud of. Sometimes we still do them. We are prisoners as long as we are defined by our sins. Like a prisoner is imprisoned for his worst crime, and constantly reminded of it. But God sets us free from this. God sees us as valuable human beings, as we can look at our loved ones and see more than their worst deeds. God sees our value as human beings right through our unwillingness, powerlessness and injustice. If it is part of love to love the other despite bad things, may I know that God sees my value through it all, too.
God finds me valuable!
If I think through, I could add a whole row more. Because everything we experience as human beings in broken, human love is metaphorical of divine love. That is the Agape, the unconditional, self-sacrificing love. God sacrifices himself, for me. Literally. Not just for me, but still for me. If it is love to give something up for another, to sacrifice yourself sometimes, may I know that God gives himself completely for me.
God loves unconditionally me!
The theologian J. Moltmann writes: When love ends, we form an image of each other that does not change. Then we judge and mutually commit ourselves. That is death. But love frees us from such images and keeps the future open for the other. Then we have hope for each other and because of that hope we wait for each other. That is life.¹ God has an image of us that is not unchanging, but has hope for us! God sees us as valuable human beings, but does not limit us to who we are today. He truly brings life-giving change. If it is love to have hope for another, may I know that God has hope for me.
God has hope for me!
I am convinced that if we allow this to come to us, really let it penetrate us, allow it into our souls and may begin to experience it, it will be life-changing. I challenge you to prayerfully go through this and apply it to yourself. I know the allergy to this kind of message from personal experience. The idea that God is a softie who approves of everything with his love and thinks everyone is cool. But then you have never fully experienced God's love. It's not up to Him, are you taking His outstretched hand?
- J. Moltmann, Who is Christ to us today?
