For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.** John 3:16-17 (NIV)**
Oh the unfathomable love of God! It is as rivers of pleasure and fullness of joy. He is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. And He not only saves us but guides His children through this dusty earth by His counsel – with His all-seeing eye upon us - ever leading us onward and upward to eternal life. Paul writes in Ephesians 3:14-19 (NIV): “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
God does not love us according to what our deeds deserve (thankfully). Indeed, He reflects on the least good done by the frailest of His saints. He hears our prayers, sees our tears and takes notice of the weakest among us with an eye of love. God notices every small gesture done in His Name and smiles. No sacrifice is small in His eyes, no act of kindness, no word of encouragement, no call of concern we might make goes unseen by His all seeing, loving eye. He also hears our prayers and answers the longings of our hearts - if not in kind, in like. And we are to live with an eye for His merciful and mighty Hand to move on our behalf. He remains well aware of all our groans and tears and desires for us to figuratively rest our heads between His all powerful shoulders. Moses pens in Deuteronomy 33:12 (NIV): “Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the LORD loves rests between his shoulders.”
It is certainly a great comfort that the Lord God reflects upon us with an eye of love on our thoughts, desires, tears and groans. His tender love and mercy surpasses that of a new mother with a babe at her breast. Indeed, His love is beyond human description – tender, unfailing, and infinite in its nature. Bunyan writes: “All the flowers in God’s garden are double.” Indeed, God is abounding in love and mercy towards us – even the weakest of His saints. We certainly cannot love Him as much as He deserves yet we are to love Him as much as we are able. We would do well to meditate for a while on His unfailing, ever-flowing love for us. It will encourage us to love Him more and more. Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus. “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.” 2 Thessalonians 3:5 (NIV).
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)