What Does He Think About Us?

How can we know what God thinks about us?  How does He feel about us?

Our beliefs about how God feels about us are foundational to our faith.  Generally speaking, the more a person likes us and accepts us, the more we are drawn to them.  When I think about who I'd like to go on vacation with or go out to dinner with, I am drawn to the friends who like me most.  Life is too short to spend my best moments with people who don't love me for me!  I am quirky and weird sometimes-- silly, serious, and feisty- and there's nothing better than having a friend who knows all that and enjoys me anyway.

Jesus values you.

If we believe that Jesus not only accepts us but enjoys us, we are more likely to want to spend time with Him.  Conversely, if we are not drawn to Jesus and want to avoid Him, there's a good chance we feel like He doesn't like or accept us.   How do you think He feels about you?  Would you be willing to consider that He pursues you even if you are actively avoiding or rejecting Him?    

How can we know the truth?  Do we imagine his opinion of us in our minds, or is there a better way?  I want us to explore that thought together in a safe community where not all of us necessarily believe the same thing, but we ask important questions, wrestle with ideas, stories, beliefs, and experiences.

Because God doesn't normally speak out loud and we can't see Him in the same way we see and hear other people, it can be difficult to know whether God is angry at us, pleased with us, or indifferent.   Believing that He is crazy about us and completely accepts us takes faith.  But, if you have even a tiny bit of faith, you can believe that Jesus is good and He loves you even when you can't hear it or feel it.   The first century physician, Luke, recorded these words of Mary:  "Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises!"  God knows that it takes faith to believe Him, but believing Him when He tells you how much He loves you and wants to take care of you also pleases Him.  The author of the book of Hebrews said, "Without faith, it is impossible to please God."

If you have even a tiny bit of faith, you can believe that Jesus is good and He loves you-- even when you can't hear it or feel it. 

Faith can take lessons that we learn about God through the lives of others and apply them to our own circumstances.  We can believe that if God loves them like that, He loves us like that.    I see His love through the way He loved other people throughout history.  I see His love through the way He loves my friends and family and the way we love each other.    I am hoping that we can share stories and by faith believe together that we are more loved and accepted by Jesus than anyone else in the world!  He is the Friend who loved us first!!!

My goal is to reflect with you about what Bible stories and verses tell us about who God is and how He feels about us, as well as sharing some experiences of my own and people I know.  You may have a hard time believing how much God loves you, but that doesn't mean it's not true.  

I love you.  Jesus loves you more.