Cherished

Am I wanted? Do I have value? Does anyone truly love or respect me? Many of us have asked these painful questions. We may ask them even when we have friends.

The disappointments, wounds and brokenness in our lives can contribute to us answering these questions in the negative. When we do, we can feel a deep loneliness and alienation. Even when people around us call us friend, we may label ourselves as unwanted.

We are designed for loving relationships; designed to give and to receive love, because our Creator is the loving God! Before anything else existed, the Godhead lived in loving community; each member of the Trinity loving and receiving one another’s love.

God created humanity, male and female in His image, to love and be loved. But we rebelled and that Fall initiated our severed relationships from God and each other.

The gospel demonstrates that we are still wanted. In love God sent His Son, Jesus, to give His life that we might be restored to love. He adopts us as His children by grace through faith. When we believe in Jesus, we become God’s beloved children. We are cherished by Him, with His special, unconditional, eternal love.

“As dearly loved children…live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us…” (Ephesians 5:1b-2a)

You may have heard the Crowder song, which echoes over and over again… “He loves us. Oh, how he loves us…”

How does knowing that you are cherished by God make you think and feel?