He loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
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1 John 4:10
Are you hard to love? Most people do not take the time to consider if loving them is a challenge for the people in their life! Whatever your answer, there are a few skills that make it easier, like becoming adept at apologizing and learning to compromise. But managing your human connections is different from understanding God’s love towards you.
Unlike earthly relationships, nothing about God’s affection reflects how lovable you have made yourself. His love is first love. He loved you BEFORE you were aware of His existence and He preset the circumstances of your life for you to discover that tenderness. Ironically, the day you realize how far you have missed the mark of His righteousness and holiness is the day His love begins to take shape in you. “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us“ (Romans 5:8).
The work of Jesus Christ to remove your sin was God’s plan to display His great compassion for you from before creation. Removing your sin is neither a love challenge for God nor a reward for your good behavior. It has only ever been an expression of His heart, a gift. Once you recognize the magnitude of His affection you may embrace it or push against it but, like gravity, you cannot change it.
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