KNOW THAT GOD LOVES YOU
KNOW THAT GOD LOVES YOU
Honestly, I cannot get enough of God’s love. It has become my everyday chant. I wake up and the first words I whisper are: “Thank you Abba, for loving me so much.” Automatically it brings a smile to my face. It calms me. It assures me that I am good to go. And then my day begins.
In the past few months, I have written article after article about the love of God. And it is not by accident. The knowledge that God loves me deeply, intensely, passionately and completely has changed my life. It is liberating. It is a one day at a time change. But it is change, nonetheless.
When you are sure of God’s love for you, your expectations cannot but be of good things. And that is because God is good, and his love endures forever. When you are loved by a good person, you will be confident that they will do all within their power to protect and defend you. Literally, they will fight for you. Now imagine being loved by God, the Almighty. It does not get bigger than that. That is exactly what God does for us. He is our shield, our refuge and our fortress. And all power belongs to Him. It is written that: “God has spoken plainly, and I have heard it many times. Power, O God, belongs to you.” Psalm 62: 11 NLT
All power belongs to my lover! How awesome and extremely powerful is that! I bounce about with every confidence knowing that no one will dare touch me for evil or they will have my lover to contend with. That is not to say that all my questions and challenges disappear but what that knowledge does for me is that it gives me the boldness to talk to my Father about anything that burdens me and let Him instruct me in what steps to take towards lasting solutions. That always gives me peace. “The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” Exodus 14: 14 NLT
Let me share with you the story of someone in the bible who was beloved of God. After the Kingdom of Israel split in two, (Israel and Judah), one of the kings of Judah, Jehoshaphat, who honoured God and never bowed to any of the pagan gods that Israel had begun to worship, made an alliance with Ahab the king of Israel at that time to go to war with him. Ahab was an evil king who was married to an equally evil wife called Jezebel. At some point, king Jehoshaphat’s son, Prince Jehoram, had married king Ahab’s daughter, Princess Athaliah, so when Ahab wanted to go to war to reclaim the town of Ramoth-gilead, he asked Jehoshaphat to go with him who willingly agreed. Ahab also asked Jehoshaphat to go to the battle in his royal robes while he, Ahab, went in disguise. Again, Jehoshaphat willingly agreed. As soon as they got to the battlefield and the Arameans sighted Jehosaphat, they charged after him in order to kill him. Perhaps at that time, he realised how foolish he had been by allowing Ahab to deceive him, but he must have known there was no way out for him until he remembered the LORD, whom he trusted and cried out to Him. Here is what happened:
“So, King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah led their armies against Ramoth-gilead. The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “As we go into battle, I will disguise myself so no one will recognize me, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle. Meanwhile, the king of Aram had issued these orders to his chariot commanders: “Attack only the king of Israel! Don’t bother with anyone else.” So when the Aramean chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat in his royal robes, they went after him. “There is the king of Israel!” they shouted. But Jehoshaphat called out, and the LORD saved him. God helped him by turning the attackers away from him. As soon as the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, they stopped chasing him.” 2 Chronicles 18:28 -32 NLT
Jehoshaphat knew the LORD and had always worshiped Him devotedly. He must have known the LORD loved him and no doubt he loved and trusted the LORD too. That was why he was able to cry out to Him in such a desperate situation. We do not trust people we do not love and will most likely not call on them for help. Jehoshaphat must have loved the LORD. Hear this: “The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them.” Psalms 91: 14-15 NLT
God rerouted a whole army because of one person. God can reroute every form of evil from us if we put our trust in Him and rest secure in the knowledge that He loves us. Loving Him will be easier because He loved us first. God let the Arameans see that Jehoshaphat was not whom they were looking for. God protected and rescued him. And guess what, Ahab was hit by a stray bullet and eventually died.
I want to encourage us today that though it seems there is no end in sight to the evil in the world, God will not let the evil befall us.
Let us tell Him of our love for Him and thank Him for his everlasting love for us. It is a refreshing thing to do.
KNOWING THAT GOD LOVES YOU IS LIBERATING AND IT WILL MAKE YOU FEEL GREAT!
OLUYINKA EGO-MARTINS ©