What is love? How would you describe it? From the beginning of time, human beings have tried to explain the concept of love.
Tragically, we sometimes develop a distorted view of love from a parent or spouse who abused or manipulated us. Some authorities in our lives may have given “conditional love,” dependent on if we did their bidding. When we read scripture verses about God’s love for us, we may subconsciously associate His love with the “love” we have experienced from other human beings.
To understand God’s love, we need to take a step back from what we may have experienced from people who either said they loved us or were supposed to love us. God’s love is in a sphere all by itself.
What is God’s love like? What does scripture tell us about God’s love for us?
God’s love is gentle.
“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls’” (Matthew 11:28-29).
God’s love is faithful and merciful.
The faithful love of the LORD never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23).
God’s love is compassionate.
“But you, O Lord,
are a God of compassion and mercy,
slow to get angry
and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness” (Psalm 86.15).
God’s love is unfathomable.
“And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully…” (Ephesians 3:18-19).
God’s love is forgiving and full of grace.
Even when God’s people refused to obey His Word, even after He performed miracles on their behalf, God was “a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love” (Nehemiah 9:17).
God’s love is always with us, even in our pain and suffering.
“When you go through deep waters,
I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you.
For I am the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior” (Isaiah 43:2-3).
God’s love is eternal.
“’For the mountains may move
and the hills disappear,
but even then my faithful love for you will remain.
My covenant of blessing will never be broken,’
says the LORD, who has mercy on you” (Isaiah 54:10).
God’s love is protective.
“But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them sing joyful praises forever.
Spread your protection over them,
that all who love your name may be filled with joy.
For you bless the godly, O LORD;
you surround them with your shield of love” (Psalm 5:11-12).
God’s love is sacrificial.
“God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins” (1 John 4:9-10).
We cannot be separated from God’s love.
“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).
Absolutely nothing within our entire universe, seen or unseen, can separate us from God’s kind, gentle, and merciful affection for us. His love is deeper than we can comprehend and eternally with us.
Pray this prayer to God as your reflect on these 10 attributes about God’s love:
Lord God, Thank you for your unfathomable love for me. Please heal my wounds inflicted by people who claimed to love me. May I embrace your love and walk in your gentleness, protection, and mercy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
