Does God really loves me?

This is a major question for many believers. We know God loves us. But still, we tend to forget it most of the times. Here is an experiment. Father God, please forgive me for putting it this way. I am saying this only to prove the way you love us.

Experiment:

Take something you like. Try admiring it. Do it for a while. Keep on admiring. You will start loving it more. You might even take an object that you consider to be a gift of God.

Observation:

You will notice that object will be lost.

Conclusion:

God 'll never let you love something more than you love him. He will take it away.

That is why many preachers say put God first. Because they experienced God's ways.

For people who don't have time to experiment. Or doesn't like to face the wrath of God. Here is something to check. If we think back, we would notice that we might have lost something in some part of the time. That would have been our most favorite thing ever at that time. Or it might be something that made us put God second.

Exodus 20:4-5 "You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.

Idol not necessarily the real Idol. We should take the meaning behind it. Idol can be anything from wealth, health, relations, wife, son or daughter.

Here is a real-life incident. I have a friend who was blessed with 2 baby girls. She thanked and praised God for blessing her with those angels. But her love for her babies was so much that she gave the first priority to her kids. One of the baby was weak and had injuries. The other was short-tempered and that hurt her. The little kids never understood the mom s love. Her love was ignored most of the times. That was her testimony that revealed that Idol can be anything that we try to keep above God. Love for her daughters was the Idol. And God made her come to the revelation that he is first.

If I love anything more than God. God will make me lose it. And why is that? Isn't it God's given gift? Why he made me lose it? Doesn't God's gift stay forever?

Yes, it came from God. Everything good comes from the Almighty God. Then why does he take it back?

The answer is Love. God loves us. He loves us so much that he can't lose his first place. He wants to be our Alpha and omega. I tried to analyze how he works. All I could come up with is this. Here is a small story from imagination...

I imagined myself to be a father of a 3-year-old. My baby loved a bicycle on the street. And seeing the glow in her eyes. I wanted to gift her by bicycle. I saved up my daily expenses for a month and brought her the cycle in her favorite color. On my way back home. I imagined my beautiful angel running towards me with her huge smile and her warm hug. And I wanted to hear 'thank you, daddy, love you' in her sweetest voice. I couldn't wait till I see her reaction. And I could see my home from distance. Since I wanted to show off. I horned from distance. As expected my baby ran towards me. I could see her jumping. This is the moment I waited for so long.

She came running towards me and said 'Thank you, Daddy'. She missed 'I love you'. I was a bit disappointed but my child would have forgotten in the excitement. She was extremely excited. So I let her enjoy her moment. She loved her ride so much that she forgot to take snacks. She wanted her mom to take pictures of her with her new ride. She loves to show off ;) whose kid is she, she inherited it from me.

That day she cycled so much. The moment she entered home (after safely locking her cycle) in the garage, she went to bed. She said 'daddy, am not hungry'. And went to sleep. I missed her Hug, Goodnight kiss, and our favorite Bedtime Story.

Its official - am jealous of my new rival - the bicycle. I can't see my daughter love the cycle more than me. I skipped my lunch meal to get her this bicycle. Does she know how much I worked hard to get this? I couldn't stand it. I went to the garage took the bicycle and sold it. I just want my daughter back. I want to be her first priority.

This is exactly how our Father in heaven feels. He loves us so much that he can't lose his place. If a small human like me can be hurt about losing my place to a cycle. How much our heavenly father would be hurt when we loved his gifts more than him.

If God takes back a gift. Just know that He was hurt because you didn't love the way you loved him before he gave you the gift.

Father, Thank you for every blessing you showered upon me.

I love you. Yes Father, am not shy about saying this anymore. I Love You. We love because you loved us first.

1 John 4:19 We love each other because he loved us first.

-Shalom-

*verses taken from New Living Translation