WOW - God really loves meTHAT much?? [+ a love story ;)]

Hey there! Today I wanted to share a story with you about a teen girl I knew.  Enjoy, and I pray the Lord speaks to you through this!

For a long time my friend liked a certain guy who she saw somewhat often. He was strong, he knew everybody, he loved Jesus and it wasn't a secret that he did. He was courageous, kind, and stood up for people, and wasn't afraid to share his faith. He was very talented and just an amazing guy, she told me. Fast forward, she stopped liking him because she thought he would never like her, a nobody who was often afraid and wasn't super cute or pretty or anything attractive and somewhat awkward.

She then proceeded to basically forget about it and gave up on crushing on any guy, because she was so afraid of being rejected and unwanted (please don't do this! Don't be afraid of rejection. Sometimes we need to pursue people - and i'm not talking only romantically - without getting anything back. If you think about it, if Jesus didn't reach out to us because He knew we would reject Him, we all wouldn't be believers! But he didn't give up on us and neither should you give up on yourself or others).

​A few years later, that same guy started liking my friend, and she found out about it. She was so shocked that a guy like him would like a nobody like her. She said she didn't deserve it. She was just so in awe and wonder that he would actually like her that she didn't know what to do! She had been dreaming about it for so long and now that it was actually here, she couldn't believe it. It was too crazy, it had to be some mistake - why would he like her?? She couldn't focus for weeks, she was so mystified. Why - what - what did I do to deserve this? She would ask herself over and over. It was so crazy to her.

Now, let's bring this crush story around. The awe and the wonder that the girl felt when she found out he liked her is similar to how we should feel about God loving us. God loves you - I feel like that's one of the statements that we've heard so much that it loses its importance. We're like, oh yeah, God loves me, blah blah blah, thanks for telling me [again]. But I don't know if you realize the significance of this!

The Creator of the Universe, the one and ONLY true God, who's infinite, all powerful, all knowing, everywhere, THE God who's in control...He likes - no, He LOVES us with a reckless, steadfast, unending, unfailing, unstoppable love. We are literally dirt compared to Him. We are less-than dirt, even! I mean, He's like, way up there in rank and we're not even in the same rank as Him. We're three billion katrillion jillion all-the-other-illions below Him. It's ridiculous that He would love us, and yet it's such an amazing and beautiful thing. I mean, He sent His ONLY Son to die the worst death possible so that He could have a relationship with a little piece of dirt - but we're not dirt to Him.

You are treasured. Loved. He rejoices over you. He values you. He knows exactly and precisely how many hairs are on your head. Nothing happens that does not pass His notice. He's watching over you right now because He cares about you - the you that the world shuns and even hates but the same you that He created without a mistake. The you He created you to be. Can I just say, WOW. WOW WOW WOW.

I don't get it. I don't understand why a God would love a nobody like me. I don't understand why I am chased after, pursued, and forgiven because I am the most messed up person I know. Even when I run away from Him, He's still right beside me. I leave Him, but He never leaves me. Nothing can change that, and I am just in AWE. Why??

Because that's the kind of God we serve. A God who seeks a personal relationship with each and every one of you. A God who is patiently waiting for you. Who leaves the ninety-nine to save the one that is lost - you. He continues to chase you down when we lose our way, mess up, and sin the same sin for the billionth time. A God who loves you because of who you are and not because of what you've done. He sees so much in you - things that maybe no one else sees, not even you.

This new year, I pray that you would fall in love with our Savior. That you would fall into a deeper and stronger love and just be in awe and reverence of the God who has brought you so far. He's going to take you so much further this year. There will be hard times. That's part of life. But I guarantee you - He will never stop loving you, no matter how unworthy the world says you are.

​
                                           **this post was friend approved**