The greatest love story ever told

This morning, Holy Spirit whispered to me, “Why did God create humans?” 

My answer was for a relationship, for fellowship, and He created us with free will so that our worship would be authentic and genuine. 

For some reason, this answer didn’t sit right with me today. Even though it’s what I’ve always thought. Today, it made me pause. It made me question. It made me ask, “God… why DID you create humans?” 

Imagine if as humans, we get married, and say… hey, let’s have a baby! Let’s have a baby to love us! They will love us their whole life! We will create this human so that they can love us. 

That sounds backward, right? 

Or let’s have a baby who will obey us and serve us. Or let’s have a baby to fulfill our needs for companionship and relationship. 

None of this sounds RIGHT, does it? Ideally, a married couple has a baby because they love each other so much and have so much love to give, they create a human together to love and raise together. 

Now, God. 

If God created humans for fellowship and worship and obedience… what would that say about God? 

If God needed fellowship, love, and worship… that would imply that God had an unmet need for love. God is perfect! He had no unmet need for fellowship. He didn’t NEED us for love. God has never been lacking. 

If God created us to obey Him and serve Him… and we know He didn’t NEED us… then that implies some ego. I’ll create humans to worship me, love me, serve me, and obey me…. 

That doesn’t fit with the God I know, the God I read about in the bible. Yes, God calls us to those things… but to create us for that sole purpose? I’m thinking no… 

Now Imagine, if God gathered Himself up – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – and said – We have so much love. We are abundant in love. Overflowing with love. Let’s create something to pour our love into. Let’s create humans… to love!! 

1 John 4:8 God IS love! 

1 John 4:16 We have come into an intimate experience with God’s love, and we trust in the love He has for us. God is love!! 

God created humans… God created us… because He had so much love to give. He decided to create humans and pour His love over and through us. To lavish love upon us. To give us everything beautiful and glorious. God created humans because He IS LOVE! 

God created Adam and Eve first. Gave them a beautiful perfect garden to live in and walked with them daily. He loved them and poured into them. And they loved Him… how could you not respond to that kind of love? 

Then the serpent… and the sin. I imagine it broke God’s heart. But still… love. He knew if they stayed in the garden of Eden, after eating the tree of the knowledge of good and evil – that more harm would come if they then ate of the tree of life. When they sinned, they began to die. Sin entered their bodies and started the slow process of decay. They opened doors to the enemy and they would never be the same. Now imagine if they ate the tree of life and would then eternally be in that sinful state. No, God would not want that. In God’s love and goodness, he cast them out of the garden of Eden. 

And from then, more sin and more sin. But God still loved! God created us because He is love. And after we sinned, He still loved us. And thus began the beautiful love story of our Father God sending the son, Jesus, to redeem us and save us from ourselves. 

The Bible is the greatest love story ever told. 

A love story that begins with creation, was corrupted by sin, and ultimately redeemed by a Savior who gave His life for us. Throughout all of scripture, you see God loving His people. Constantly bringing them back to Him. Continually providing for them. A never-ending love. 

A love so deep, God says nothing can separate us from it! Nothing can stop God’s love for us – not death or troubles, not demonic forces, fallen angels, or dark rulers of the world, nothing in the past, present, or future, no power above or below, nothing in the universe could ever separate us God’s love. How is that for a declaration of love from the lover of your soul?

And one day, we will live eternally with the God who loves us. 

Until then, He calls us to love. He calls us to be like Him. He created us in His image so that we can love others. He has a plan for us. What is the greatest commandment? Love God! Love others! 

Why are those the greatest commandments? Because God IS love! 

I can barely wrap my head around God’s love. Around this amazing love story. Can you see it? Can you see the love story? 

God Loves You. 

So Much. 

So deeply. 

He created you in the most amazing and intricate way. He numbers the hairs on your head. He formed your parts while you were in your mother’s womb. Do you see His love? 

From before you were conceived, God loved you. He has a plan for you. A purpose. He looks at your face and His eyes soften with love. You screw up and He still loves you. Still calls you to Him. Calls you by name. 

What do we do with this kind of love? 

Can we first believe and accept His love? 

Can we grasp how loved we are? And say to God, “Thank you. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for creating me to be the recipient of your love. Thank you that, even though I’ve screwed up like Adam and Eve, you still love me. And even though I don’t deserve it, you sent Jesus to save me. To pull me from the pit and consequences of my actions and make me the bride of Christ! I believe, Jesus! Forgive me for the part I played as the villain of this love story. I turned my back on You. I rejected You. It was because of me that you died. But still, You came after me and rescued me! You love me through it all! You are an amazing God. I accept your love and run into your arms for eternity!” 

A love story. 

It’s a LOVE story, y’all. 

I can’t get over it. I don’t want to ever get over it. Let me love God back for the rest of my days! Let me follow Him because everything He asks of me is in my best interest! I will love God with all my heart and soul and mind. No one deserves my love more than the one who loved me first. 

And let the love of God flow through me to others. Let me share with others this ridiculous over the top love story of which THEY are the leading role alongside Jesus. Let love break down barriers and walls. Let love deliver people from demonic oppression. Let love heal others. God’s love. God’s love. God’s love. 

There’s a line from a Taylor Swift song playing in my head right now… It’s a love story, baby, just say yes. 

Say yes to God’s love story. Say yes to God’s love. Say yes to the perfect plans God has for your life. Say yes to bringing others into the love story. Say yes to God. Say yes to love!