Think You're Just a Number?

"For God so loved the world..." Probably one of the most familiar Scriptures known by people of all nationalities, religions, and walks of life is John 3:16. Of course, it is a powerful thought to look at the world in which we live and think about a perfect and holy God loving the people that we see or hear of in the news..or us. Sometimes, though, being a member of the "world" that He loves doesn't satisfy the longing in our own hearts to be loved as an individual. Me. Personally.

Ephesians 2 begins by reminding us that once, we were "dead, doomed forever because of [our] many sins. (NLT)" It goes on to describe that we used to be under the control of the devil, obeying every impulse of our corrupt nature, just like the rest of the world. After a couple of verses of very long, very detailed description (in the Amplified, it seems very long) of the way we used to live, in verse 4 we get a "but God."

But God--so rich is He in His mercy! Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us...

I have to stop right here! In order to satisfy the great, wonderful, intense love with which He loved me... great, wonderful, and intense love for me!! Ok, going on for the sake of context..

Even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ; [He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace (His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation). And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together [giving us joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One). He did this that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace (His unmerited favor) in [His] kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:5-7 AMP (emphasis mine)

We are part of this "through the ages to come"! He wants us who are in Christ to clearly know "His kindness and goodness of heart" because we are in Christ Jesus!

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! I John 3:1 NIV

God has lavished His intense love on us! The way that we can get under the shower of this love is to spend time with Him in His Word! It is no wonder we read in Psalm 16:11, "in Your presence is fullness of joy." In His presence, we are overwhelmed by the "great, wonderful, and intense" love He has for us. We are lavished with His love. We are washed of the rejection, hurts, disappointments, inadequacies, and fears of this life. We are refreshed from the weariness, labor and toil of trials, tribulations, and even the mundane responsibilities of this life.

He wants to wash and refresh, overwhelm and lavish His great, wonderful, and intense love for you! YOU!!!