By: Woodrow Kroll
Maybe you’re wondering, Why would God even want me in heaven? That’s a legitimate question. After all, if God didn’t want you there, that would be that. There is only one reason God would want you in heaven—because He loves you! He says in His Word, the Bible, that He has “loved you with an everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31:3).
Yeah, right! you’re thinking. I’ve had people tell me that before, and they’ve just let me down. But God’s love is different. His love is perfect, and it will never let you down. This isn’t the kind of love that you see on TV or the movies either. God’s faithful love is focused entirely on you. If you miss this point, nothing else that follows will make sense. So, before you go any further, realize that God really does love you.
God loves you; He created you.
But why would God love me? There are better people in the world.
The fact is you were created by God with incredible care. When He looks at you, He doesn’t see the good or bad things you’ve done. Instead, He sees a work of art that needs His attention.
Even if you come from a background where your mother or father didn’t love you, God always has. He doesn’t base His love on how rich or poor you are. It doesn’t matter to Him what your heritage is or if you’ve ever set foot in a church. God loves you and wants you to spend eternity with Him in heaven. The Bible tells us that He “is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
God’s love is unconditional.
So, what did I do to deserve God’s love?
This is a natural question because we all put conditions on our love from time to time. You probably don’t say, “If you do this, I’ll love you” in so many words. But if you’ve ever thought that a person should meet certain expectations before you’d give your love to them, you’ve set conditions. But God, the Creator of the universe, the King above all kings, loves you with an unconditional love that will last forever. He loves you even though you’ve done nothing to deserve it. God’s love for you isn’t based on how you look, how much money you make, what kind of job you have or any other of the things we humans use to judge each other. God’s love is based on who He is—and He will never change.
God’s love lasts forever.
What if I mess up tomorrow? Will God love me then?
Since God lives forever, He also loves forever. It’s who He is. There won’t be days when He loves you less. There will never be a time when He questions His decision to love you in the first place. When you understand that God’s love never changes, you can go to bed at night knowing He will love you as much tomorrow as He does today. God has made the promise that no matter what you do, where you go or how many times you do something you shouldn’t do, He will always love you. Maybe you’ve already heard that promise from someone who failed you. Maybe you’ve even heard the crushing words, “I don’t love you anymore.” God’s love will never fail you. He promises that He “will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).
God’s love is demonstrated.
Yeah, it’s easy to say He’ll always love me, but does He really mean it?
Yes, He does. And He did something to prove He means what He says. God sent His Son, Jesus, to earth. Jesus was born in the most humble surroundings and lived a life just like you and me. He wanted to show people firsthand God’s love for them. He even went out of His way to spend time with the people society had branded as “unlovable.” That’s how genuine His love is. Jesus had a mission—to provide you a way to heaven.
When someone says he loves you but doesn’t show it, you have every right to question his sincerity. But when he backs up his words with actions, you know he means what he says. God said, “I love you,” and then He went the extra step to demonstrate He meant it. He sent His only Son, Jesus, into this world to provide you a way into heaven. The Bible tells us, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). It also says, “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9). If so, remember, even though all other loves may fail,
God’s love is giving.
Any one who has been in love knows what it’s like to want to give to the one you love. But what has God ever given to me? you might be asking.
God gave His Son, Jesus, and Jesus gave His life. Why? Because it’s the only way you would ever have a chance of spending eternity in heaven. The Bible says, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us” (1 John 3:16).
Can you imagine someone so important to you that you would die to let them live? That’s exactly how much you mean to God.
