This is love: He loved us long before we loved him. It was his love, not ours. He proved it by sending his Son to be the pleasing sacrificial offering to take away our sins.
— 1 John 4:9 (TPT)
When you begin to talk about how much God loves you and focus on it, people sometimes begin to get nervous. Ten or fifteen years ago when I began to see and experience God’s unbelievable love for me, I got so excited and still do.
So I began to sing about God’s amazing love for me whereas before I always sang about my love for God which, of course, is very important, but knowing and meditating on ABBA’s love for us is what changes us.
You know the song, “Oh how I love Jesus, Oh how I love Jesus”? Well I changed the words to “Oh how the Father loves me, Oh how the Father loves me . . . He gave up His only Son” and I went on to sing, “Oh how Jesus loves me, Oh how Jesus loves me , , , He died to set me free”. Then I added and “That’s why I love Jesus, that’s why I love Jesus . . . Because He first loved me”.
When I led people in the new way of singing this song, I could sense their nervousness. They wanted to get back to how they loved God. Singing about their love for God was easy. However, singing about how much God loved them was difficult. Why? Because we feel unworthy.
We know ourselves – what we think, say and do – and we know it is not always good. So how could God really love me in those times? Yet, that’s the amazing love of God – Agape. He does not love you because you always do, say and think the right thing. He is LOVE and He wants you to know and experience His Agape love everyday.
Only when we are able to keep ourselves in the knowledge and experience of His love do we live in victory. When the world seems against you, this is the time to remind yourself of how much the Father values and loves you. Sing, sing, sing of His love for you until you feel it.
“Delight in being the object of God’s love”
Sheer Will Power Is Limited