“I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you say, “How have You loved us?” – Mal. 1:2

The story has been told a million times of the love that got away only to realize it too late. Many people go through life pushing away those that love them. Until it is too late. They go through life looking for something to satisfy their innermost needs while at the same time ignoring and abusing what would benefit them the most.

What is more basic and elementary than the need for God’s love? He is our Creator who made us in His image, calling us sons and daughters. Instead of enjoying a relationship with the Father, most of the children cobble together a meaningless life that can’t satisfy. On their wayward quest for happiness, they remain unloved and unsatisfied. They fill the hurt and the emptiness with drinking, eating, buying, and a thousand pursuits that leave them thirsty and hungry. They are mostly unaware that God would fill their need and give them abundant life.

Jesus has brought us what satisfies for eternity. He said to the woman at the well,

“13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” – John 4:13,14

There is a spring that we may all drink from that will satisfy the deepest yearnings of a man. The soul is hungry and Jesus promises to satisfy. But we must seek it and open the door to His invitation. Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and He with Me.” – Rev. 3:20

God said to the people of Israel, “I have loved you”, but Israel didn’t know it. God was knocking and they weren’t answering. They had become self-righteous, self-centered, and self-absorbed to the point of sniffing at the sacrifices, defiling and despising the things of God. They became so blind to the truth that they didn’t know or comprehend the love of God. They asked God, “How have you loved us?” If we find this remarkable, do we do the same? Do we have the love of parents and fail to honor them (Eph. 6:1,2)? Do we have the love of a wife and fail to honor her as a fell heir (1 Pt. 3:7)? Do we have the precious gifts of a son and a daughter and fail to teach them about the reality of God (Dt. 6:6ff)? Do we have jobs, homes, and automobiles and fail to show our appreciation to God for the bounty? Do we have the love of God at the cross and refuse to share it? Do we have have the god-breathed, Holy Spirit delivered, supernaturally preserved Word of God and not read it? Do we have the love of God, everything in creation a testament to it, but we do not fall to our knees and praise Him? Sad. If this is us, we have become like Israel, unaware and oblivious to the love of God.

Paul said, “the love of Christ compels me” (2 Cor. 5:14). Instead of ignoring and denying the love of God, let’s take some time to reflect on how we are to show our love to God.
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Categories: denial of God, God's love