"Truly the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:5)
Valentine’s is a perfect time to reflect on how great a love the Father has lavished upon us. Most of us know that God loves us; however, we don’t always feel it. We are aware the Bible says He cares for us, but sometimes there is a disconnect between what our minds know and our hearts seem to experience.
We are promised that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other thing can ever separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39). Well, hallelujah! That sounds good! But what does that actually look like in our everyday lives? And more importantly, how does it feel?
True love is stronger than death, it burns like a blazing fire, and mighty waters cannot quench it (Song of Solomon 8:6-7). God’s love for us is unstoppable! Yet how many times have we made a mistake, or worse yet, committed a sin, and then questioned the constancy of His love?
And that’s where we get it wrong. God’s love for us is the constant of our lives. It is unchanging and unfailing. Even when we fail, His love doesn’t. It can’t! Because God is love, and He doesn’t know how to fail.
A Scripture Meditation
Since many people don’t have the ideal picture of a father’s love because of how their earthly fathers treated them, we want to pray into the truth of our heavenly Father’s extraordinary love for us. His love is strong and certain and safe. It is faithful and formidable and forever. It is, in fact, perfect in every way.
It has been said that the longest distance in the world is from the head to the heart. We need supernatural intervention to make the biblical truth of God’s love not only knowledge in our heads, but also revelation in our hearts.
One powerful way God writes His word on our hearts is through two-way journaling with Him. The words Jesus speaks to us are spirit and life, and when we hear them, they release faith and transform us from the inside out (John 6:63; Romans 10:17). Like the disciples on the Emmaus Road, our hearts come alive when the Lord explains Scripture to us (Luke 24:32).
If having a two-way conversation with Jesus is new to you, you can learn how easy it is here. Hearing God’s voice is as simple as quieting ourselves down, looking for vision, tuning to spontaneous flow, and writing. Let’s practice this together by using the Scriptures and questions below to connect with our heavenly Father through listening prayer.
Holy Spirit, we invite You to breathe on the Word of God and make it living revelation in the depths of our hearts, in Jesus' name.
1 John 3:1
“See how great a love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are.”
Father God, how great is Your love for me?
What does it mean to be called Your child?
How is Your love for me different from earthly love that I’ve experienced?
Jeremiah 31:3
“The LORD appeared to him saying, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love… I have drawn you with lovingkindness.’”
Lord, please talk to me about Your everlasting love.
Remind me of a time when I received Your lovingkindness. How did it feel?
How can I experience it again?
Ephesians 3:16-19
“I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is ... May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”
Heavenly Father, how does Your love keep me strong?
Your love is too great to understand with my mind; I have to experience it in my heart. How can I experience more of Your love, Jesus?
Holy Spirit, what does Your love have to do with Your power?
Please let me feel how the fullness of Your love and life and power completes me in every way.
Zephaniah 3:17
“For the LORD your God is living among you and is a mighty Savior. He delights in you with gladness! With His love, He will calm all your fears. He rejoices over you with joyful singing!"
Father God, how do I delight You? How are You pleased with me?
Remind me of a time I felt Your love and it calmed my fears. What did that feel like?
How do You rejoice over me, Lord? And why are You singing for me?
How do I experience more of Your lovingkindness and joyful presence?
Please help me feel Your pleasure and gladness towards me and let me hear the song You are singing over me.
Being Loved by Love Himself
I believe as you prayerfully meditate on these passages you will receive a fresh revelation of how Father feels about you. His exceeding delight in you. His extreme pleasure over you. His extravagant love for you. It’s more than you ever hoped and greater than you ever imagined. May you feel it deeply and receive it fully by the power of His Holy Spirit in your heart.
Thank You, Father, for being the Constant in our lives. Thank You for Your epic and unending love for us! Thank You that we are Your forever favored sons and daughters. And thank You that we have always, always, always been loved by You!
