As I stepped out of a café on Tuesday with my coffee, I saw a sandwich board sign that said. “You are loved.” It startled me. The board was not advertising new coffee drinks or the times they are open, or even saying, “Have a nice day” but, “You are loved.” On reading this, I sensed a message from God: yes, He does love me, even amid the stress of my day, my chronic concerns, and my sin.
How might others interpret this message? For those who are not Christians, the affirmation may prompt them to consider the love and support they receive from family and friends. While human affection can be reassuring, it is inherently imperfect, as all human relationships are prone to shortcomings. In contrast, from a Christian perspective, God's love surpasses human love in its consistency, power, and perfection. Unlike the conditional, sometimes flawed love we experience from others, God's love is ever-present, powerful, and entirely selfless.
God is love. He reveals this truth in his Word by sending His Son to pay the penalty for our sins. Jesus, who is God in the flesh, lived the life we should have lived. He was perfect, loving the outcast, those in power, and those in need. He died the death we should have died for our sins on the cross. Through his resurrection, he gives us new life and sends us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit pours out God’s love into our hearts. I am His, and He is mine. He has me forever, the lover of my soul.
That’s what I experienced from a random sandwich board sign. The vague message is there, “I am loved,” and God fills in the gaps. I was praying that morning, “Lord, please change this situation now,” and God came back with, “You are loved.” I realize that is enough. The wonder of God’s love makes us marvel at his graciousness, mercy, and compassion. We are frail creatures seeking him at times and often running away. He draws us back by simply saying, “You are loved.”
My prayer is that others who read that sign today will know the power, wonder, and mercy of his love. This love of God is known by seeing Christ. “No one has ever seen God; God, the only Son, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known” (John 1:18). Let’s gather in worship this Sunday to see the great love God has lavished on us as we start a new sermon series in the gospel of John for the new year.
