God is a God of abundant mercy and abundant grace. He loves you and me MORE then we could ever love Him back.
On our very best day, His love is overflowing for us. On our very worst day, His love is overflowing for us. His love doesn’t change if we are good or bad. His love doesn’t change if we are faithful or unfaithful. His love doesn’t change if we keep our promises or don’t keep our promises. His love is constant, never changing and always unceasing.
He has loved us from the day we were conceived in the womb, and He will love us until the very last breath of our life. His love is unmatched by any human that has ever lived.
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:19-21
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23
Let me just say it again…His love is amazing!
Aren’t you thankful that He didn’t give up on you?
He didn’t give up on Peter even after he denied Him three times.
He didn’t give Jonah even after he ran in the opposite direction that God asked him to go in.
He didn’t give up on his disciples when many times their faith was lacking.
And He hasn’t given up on you either!
As God continually does throughout His Word, He reaches for those that have left Him.
He reaches for those that have turned their back on Him, showing His endless mercy and grace.
God used many prophets to speak hope to those that ran in the opposite direction, to encourage them to turn away from the false god’s they started worshiping and turn back to Him.
Joel is one prophet God used.
“That is why the Lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.
Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish.” Joel 2:12-13 NLT
Guzik comments, “We don’t repent with the idea ‘God I so mean that if I don’t return to Him, He will destroy me.’ Instead the idea is ‘God is so gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness that He will spare me from what I deserve if I turn back to Him.’ Ultimately, it is His goodness that leads us to repentance.”
“Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?” Romans 2:4 NLT
His kindness, love, grace and mercy are not for you and I to just continue in our sin. The whole purpose of his unfailing love is to TURN FROM OUR SIN.
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Romans 6:1-2
His love is reaching for someone today.
God is saying, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts…..”
We all need God…Romans 3:23 makes that clear, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
We all need Him and He is ready with this unfailing love. No matter where we are or what we’ve done, His grace is accessible for us today and His mercy is waiting. He loves us.
“Write a letter to the leader of the church at Ephesus and tell him this: “I write to inform you of a message from him who walks among the churches and holds their leaders in his right hand.
“He says to you: I know how many good things you are doing. I have watched your hard work and your patience; I know you don’t tolerate sin among your members, and you have carefully examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but aren’t. You have found out how they lie. You have patiently suffered for me without quitting.
“Yet there is one thing wrong; you don’t love me as at first! Think about those times of your first love (how different now!) and turn back to me again and work as you did before; or else I will come and remove your candlestick from its place among the churches.” Revelation 2:1-5 TLB
