Chuck Northrop

As a person considers the vastness of the universe, he or she is amazed at God’s creative power. A universe with such complexity and design cannot just happen. There must be a designer, and that designer is God. Upon contemplating God’s marvelous creation, David wrote, “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” (Psalm 8:3-4). David was perplexed by the fact that we are such a small part of the universe, and yet God cares for us. Here in the vastness of the expanse is insignificant man. A mortal creature of whom God is mindful. Considering everything that God has majestically made, “what is man, that thou art mindful of him?” How is it possible for God who has made and who sustains the universe to ever have the time to consider man or to care for him?

In the second half of the eighth psalm, David answers his own question. God created man with glory, honor, and dominion. God is mindful of us and cares for us because He created us with purpose. The human race was not an accident or freak of nature. Humanity was purposefully and meaningfully created. Just as we love the things we create, God loves mankind — the crowning act of His creation.

Not only did God create us, He provides for us. He provided the universe as a place for us to dwell. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said God “maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:44-45). The sun and rain are part of the provisions God has provided for mankind. God’s provisions attests to His love of us.

Though these things affirms the love of God toward us, the greatest affirmation of God’s love is the sending forth of His Son. John 3:16 declares, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Think of the tremendous sacrifice Christ made by coming into this world. He left the presence of almighty God to dwell with rebellious man. He gave up His spiritual nature to dwell in a physical form (Philippians 2:6-7). He gave up life without temptation to be tempted in every point like we are (Hebrews 4:15). He gave up His royalty to be born in a manger and to live as a servant (Philippians 2:5-7). He gave up His heavenly domain where there is no pain, no sorrow, and no death to live with the pains of this world and to suffer the death of this world. The sending forth of His Son most certainly testifies of the love of God for mankind.

It is one thing to send a Son, but all together another to sacrifice a Son, but this is what God did for you and me. Paul wrote, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Jesus was perfect in every respect (Hebrews 5:9). He was without sin and without guile (2 Peter 2:22), but He bore our sins upon the cross, and He died for you and me. To remind the Christians in Corinth of His glorious sacrifice, Paul wrote, “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). Certainly, the sacrifice of the only begotten Son of God demonstrates the love of God. “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10).

As we have seen, God demonstrated His love for mankind by His creation and the sending and sacrifice of His Son, but He also exhibited His love by giving us His plan of redemption whereby we might know how to be saved. God’s plan of salvation is “the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). His plan of forgiveness must be obeyed in order for us to inherit eternal life (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). Have you obeyed it?

God loves you! He has demonstrated His love in numerous ways, some of which we have addressed. Therefore the question is not whether or not God loves you, but whether or not you love God. Do you love Him? Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). What have you done to demonstrate your love for Him? Are you living according to His word? Are you walking in the light as He is in the light? (1 John 1:7). Are you His friend and can you be counted on as a friend. Jesus said, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:14). Be a friend of Jesus and take courage in obeying His will.