This article’s a revelation that came to me one fine morning, and the more I’ve been dwelling on this, the more I’m convinced of His love for me. I hope this blesses you, dear reader.
God’s love was never about whether we deserve it or not or if we’re “worthy” enough to receive and enjoy it. Will a mother stop picking up or carrying the baby that she loves just because he keeps pooping and doesn’t show any gratitude? No! The mother will continue to love him, nurture him, change his diapers and care for his every need, because he is hers! He’s her SON! So it was never about our worth or whether we deserve it or not. If that is really something that needs to be addressed and discussed, then no, we definitely don’t deserve His love. But you see, it was never about deserving or worth or any of that. It’s about our position and whose we are. We are His CHILDREN! Princes and princesses of the Good Father! Why wouldn’t He want to love me and have the best reserved for me?
We all know the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15. I want to take you through a couple of verses from that portion.
Luke 15: 21-22 – And the son said to the father, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry.
The father let the son go because that’s what the son wanted. When the son came to his senses and started using his head, he started practising the “right” things to say (just like we do before we pray sometimes). If only his heart knew whose he was and that he is a SON, he wouldn’t have had to practice the speech in the first place. He would have just gone home with the liberty that he has as a son, without thinking twice. Once he got home (or rather when the father reached him), he started his practiced speech (much like our prayers!), but the father could care less about the son’s speech about his worth. Instead, the father dismissed it because it was nonsense to him. Notice he doesn’t shut the son up, but he also doesn’t entertain it. That’s how God is, too. He lets us speak our hearts out with Him, but He doesn’t need to entertain trash talk about ourselves! The father asked the servant to get the BEST robe (because what parent wouldn’t want their children to have the best!). put a ring on his finger (probably to remind the son that he is his father’s own) and a fattened calf (because a good father always satisfies our desires!). Oh, and there’s a party, too! He doesn’t wait for the son to wash all the dirt, filth and stench off and wear good, clean clothes to kiss and embrace him; he does that the moment he reaches the son. That’s what the Father’s love is like! It’s never about whether we deserve it or not. It’s always, always about our position in Him and who we belong to! God gave up His best and only Son, Jesus, just so you and I would understand His love for us. He gives us the Holy Spirit to remind us of His love for us and who we are to Him, with our mistakes and all (just like putting a ring on our finger), satisfies the deepest desires of our heart, that He knows are good for me (the father didn’t feed the hungry son pods that the pigs ate to satisfy the son’s hunger, although the son wouldn’t been okay with it because he was now used to feeding himself junk; the father had a FATTENED CALF slaughtered for his beloved!) and then, He parties and rejoices songs over us! Right this second, God is dancing, jumping around and singing over us, not only because we decided to come back home, but primarily because we are His children and HE delights in us! He delights in us! HE loves US, and because of His love for us, we are able to love Him back.
So today if you’re feeling crappy about yourself because you feel you are not good enough for the King of kings, remember that He’s a Good Father who welcomes you home because you are HIS! Rejoice in the reality that YOU ARE HIS BELOVED!