Our biggest need fulfilled
Beyond food, clothing and shelter, human beings have another basic and universal need – to be loved. Lack of love in infancy and childhood have profound effects on how children develop – or don’t – as they grow into adults. Feelings of rejection, abandonment and being unworthy of love can affect any of us at any stage of life and leave wounds and scars that don’t seem to heal.
There is one way to heal the wounds we all collect as we go through life and that is in the loving arms of our Savior. Even if any kind of human love is either a memory, a hope or non-existent, the love of Jesus can fill the holes in our souls.
Last time I shared Zephaniah 3:17, one of my five shelter verses. It’s also my favorite verse about God’s love. Here it is in the New Living Translation: “For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” It’s a beautiful picture of not just his love for us, but how he cares for us as a mother would – as if he’s pulling us on his lap, smiling with joy and singing love songs to us as the delight of his heart.
God’s love should be added to death and taxes, the two things in life that are absolutely certain. His love is more dependable than either of these. His love is strong, fierce, gentle, never-ending and will never fail us. We can reject his love but he will never reject us. Wrap up in it, take it in, soak it up and bask in its warmth. And when you’ve filled up on his love, it will overflow onto others, allowing us to help fulfill this fundamental need in the hearts of all we meet.
Study by Tammy Tkach
First published on 12 October 2022, at www.gemsofgodsgrace.wordpress.com
About the writer:
Tammy Tkach is the Assistant Pastor of the Eugene, Oregon, USA congregation. She is a speaker and writer, and publishes a blog at www.gemsofgodsgrace.wordpress.com
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