God’s Love Heals
Isn't it amazing how God designed the scab to be a natural means to bandage a wound? Better than a band-aid, it is man's remedy that can take longer to heal. Sometimes, a wound feels worse before it gets better; it depends on the care. I look at my hand that got wounded and see the scab is in the shape of a heart. I see God’s imprint on my hand and understand He is healing wounds, loves, and cares for me. Praise the Lord! To Him be the glory!
1 John 4:8: "He who has no love does not know God, for God is love." We cannot demand that people who have not experienced God’s love behave in such a way that they do not know because they have never experienced it. They have not encountered God yet, whether it is to save faith by His love and mercy or stand before Him to be judged by their sins without Jesus. If you don’t know and learn of God’s unconditional love, you cannot love others with this kind of love. We can’t expect people to act in a way they haven’t learned.
John 3:16-17… "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth 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". God sent Jesus for us to have a relationship with Him. We are saved due to “knowing Him.” We are changed by the Holy Spirit from the inside out, becoming new.
Isaiah 53:5... "By His stripes, we are healed.” Jesus went through pains and struggles, too, so He is not without love, empathy, or concern for what we go through as well. Jesus knew that life was not supposed to be this way, but He still chose to obey God because He thought we were worth it and knew that pain during this life was temporary with a bigger purpose than we could see or understand. God was shaping our hearts with His love.
May this picture above remind us that He can and does heal our wounds. He truly is a God of love! I cherish the love memos/letters He has sent me over the years as a reminder that God is creative, personal, and intentional. Sometimes, we must experience the “bad” before understanding and appreciating the “good” He gives in this life. God is always good, which is not dependent on our circumstances but remains constant at all times. He is good because He is God. Others' poor choices or abuse of their free will is not reflective of God’s goodness, and He should not be rejected due to others’ sinful choices.
Psalm 145:9 says, “The Lord is good to all, and His mercy is over all that He has made.” God wants everyone to come to saving knowledge and faith.
Psalm 34:8 “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.” When we take refuge in Him, we can reframe our thoughts with His Word and promises. Psalms and Proverbs are a great place to start.
Romans 2:4 states, “Do you not know that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” God doesn’t wish anyone to perish, but learning that God has a different way of life for you, a different purpose, and a different way of showing you unconditional love illustrates God’s goodness for your life.
Romans 8:28 states, “God works ALL things together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” The verse does not say He worked “some” things but “ALL” things, which means all circumstances, trials, and tribulations. You can hear testimonies from all over the world that will have you in awe of how God met them and changed their lives. Had I not endured the pains of the past, I would not have been here writing this article or doing this ministry. Seeing the “bad” led me to search for the “good” God had to offer and surrender my life to Jesus.
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God has ways of catching my attention and taking my breath away, unlike anyone or anything else. He really is my all in all, and I’m so thankful my life is part of God's redemptive plan! God has placed hearts in various places over the years, illustrating that Jesus truly is my perfect soulmate. Nothing and no one in life can fill the God-sized hole in our hearts that we are hard-wired to fill with God’s love. He never tires of showing me unconditional love, attention, and affection and meets us in many places.
Looking over the past, we can see He was pursuing a relationship with us even when we were not paying attention. Yet…He never gave up on us. Once you encounter God’s love, you will never be the same and never see things as they once were. It gives us hope and promises of a better future through spiritual blessings. When we feel alone, Jesus sends gentle reminders that He is enough. He wants to show that He is alive, present, and cares more than anyone else.
Jeremiah 29:13-14…. “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,”declares the Lord, “and I will bring you back from captivity.” When we need a reprieve from trials and difficult circumstances, He takes our minds off the here and now. No one can keep our minds captive other than those we allow. God wants us to live in freedom, in truth, in love far beyond our temporary circumstances.
Jesus is saying, “Let Me love you,” “Let Me be enough,” and “Let Me be your husband when you feel alone.” “Don’t turn to other people or things; turn to Me instead.” “I will be your Comforter, Healer, Provider, and Sustainer.” The choice is yours.