I Have Loved You Says the Lord

22 Nov I Have Loved You Says the Lord

Verse of the Day – Malachi 1:2-5
Thought for the Day: “I have loved you,’ says the LORD.”

It is universally understood that ‘first impressions’ matter a great deal. Think back to the first time you met your spouse, close friend, or business partner. It is likely that you can vividly remember your initial encounter. And – it is also very likely that this first encounter was either quite positive or humorous (or both). How we began the story set the tone for what came next.

No matter where we find ourselves in our faith journeys today, the Old Testament prophet Malachi reminds us that our first impression of God should be defined by love. After all, “I have loved you,” says the Lord…” Yes, God asks us to follow Him and turn away from our sin. But first and foremost, we are asked to remember that He loves us and has always done so.

How God began our stories set the tone – He loved us first before anything else. Throughout Scripture, it is made quite clear: God loves us and did so even before we were born. Sometimes we forget that we are loved and chosen (as outlined in Ephesians 1 and 2). As we go through our lives, it is easy to get caught up in situations and circumstances, forgetting that we serve a God who loves us.

Regardless of whether we enter Thanksgiving Week feeling burnt-out or energized, today is a great opportunity to pause and remember a simple truth: “I have loved you,’ says the LORD.” Let’s have a great day today and embrace God’s love for each one of us.

In Christ,
Pastors Stan and David