Think about how much your earthly father loves you, provides for you, cares for you, protects you etc.
These are the things your earthly father can do and these things are directly proportional to his resources at his disposal. But this is not my main focus today. I have seen mothers abandoned their babies, I have seen father's disown their wayward children, this is a shortcoming of our earthly parents.
Think about God's love for us. In our waywardness, in our uncleanliness, our sins, He still loved us dearly and don't want us to perish.
Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn’t, and doesn’t, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn’t been so weak, we wouldn’t have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.
Romans 5:6-8 MSG
Our earthly parents love is conditional, If I behave well, I'm qualified, and I don't behave properly, I'm not qualified to receive their love. Compare this logic with God's logic. Even when we had no value whatsoever to God, He came down in form of lowly flesh and died for us.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:13King James Version (KJV)
How many of us reading this can boldly say we can die for someone, or our parents can die for us?? Even if we are extremely good I don't think they will take the risk.
Perhaps you feel tarnished, worn, old or out of circulation. Even so, God finds value in you. The creator of the universe wants you - not for your mind, your body, your clothes, your achievements, your intellect, or your personality, but because you are you! He would go any distance and pay any price to possess you.
In fact He did. He came down to earth from heaven and purchased you with His blood. That's how much He wants you. You are valuable in His eyes and He loves you.
When next you feel unloved, think about your Heavenly Father who loves you more than you can imagine.
REFLECTION: As I think about Your love for me, Father, I wonder with amazement how You could love someone like me and I praise You.
Christ's death is a measure of God's love for you.