READ: ZEPHANIAH 3:17; JOHN 3:16; EPHESIANS 2:8-10

“Does God really love me?” If we’re honest, this is a question we ask often. And the answer is a resounding yes! God loves us very much! But what do we do when it doesn’t feel like God loves us? One thing we can do is remember the evidence of God’s love for us. After all, He knows we need reminders, and He doesn’t scold us for needing to hear it again and again. In fact, God loves to remind us of His love.

1. God made us. And that’s just one of the reasons why we can know that He loves us and we matter to Him. He created each of us on purpose, and He was delighted to do it.

2. God’s love for us is unstoppable. God didn’t stop loving us when humanity rejected Him. Just the opposite. His great love for the world compelled Him to give Jesus, His very own Son, to die on the cross to save us from sin. Nothing, not even death, could stop His love. We know this because after three days, Jesus rose from the dead, defeating sin and death forever.

3. God has made us His own. As Christians, we belong to Him. When we put our trust in Jesus, He makes us new people and gives us important work to do in His kingdom. In fact, the book of Ephesians in the Bible calls us God’s handiwork—His masterpiece or artwork.

4. God cares about what happens to us. When we suffer, He weeps. And He promises to work all things for the good of His people. Jesus will return one day to make everything new, free from sin and healed from all the brokenness sin causes.

5. God is with us now. As we wait for Jesus to return bodily to earth, He is still present with us through His Spirit, His Word, and His people.

It’s easy to forget God’s love for us, especially when we hear the cruel words of others or when we experience heartbreaking situations. But, as Christians, we can rest in God’s love for us by remembering how God made us because it pleased Him to do so, and how God became human to dwell among us. He (Jesus) was willing to die on the cross for us. Then He rose again three days later to beat death, and He promises to return to be with us forever. Even now, His loving presence is always with us. No matter what, we can know that we are each an important part of God’s kingdom and family—we have a purpose and place because we belong to Jesus. And, as we rest in God’s unshakable love for us, we get to be part of sharing His love with others. • A. W. Smith

• Which of the five evidences of God’s love listed above resonates with you most today? Why? 

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works. Ephesians 2:10a (NIV)