Love to Love You

When our small group started their study of God Loves You by David Jeremiah, I told myself that I was not going to blog about it anymore.  I wanted my reader to come to the bible study instead of just reading about it here.
There is one very large problem with that idea...  My readers are all across the world.  I am reaching more people than I ever thought I would.
Second reason I am breaking my self imposed rule is that this weeks' chapter was just so strong, so moving, so powerful...  As I started reading...  Before I had finished the second page of the chapter, I already was composing this post.  I knew I had to share this message.  It was one that I did not learn growing up and I knew it was one that I had to share.
David Jeremiah starts with a story from 'With: Reimagining the Way You Relate to God' by Skye Jethani. The House of Despair was an underground safehouse for Christian college students.  These students were probably the outcasts on campus as they sought various forms of painkillers: sex, drugs, alcohol, and just real conversation.
As I read about these kids and their struggles in school, I found myself understanding where they were coming from.
One night, the original author asks the students how many were raised in a Christian home?
All raised their hands.
How many grew up in a bible centered church?
All hands stayed up.
And none of you realize that through everything, God still loves you...

As humans we are taught about conditional love: if I'm not pretty enough or skinny enough or short enough or rich enough or flirty enough or the list goes on, he won't love me. I try everything I can to keep his love.
God's love is unconditional. He loves you because He wants to, because He created you.
2 Timothy 13 says 'if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.'
Think about that. No matter how much you mess up, He still loves you because you are part of Himself. What a strong and amazing image to hold close!
As I started reading about the House of Despair and their stories, these words kept echoing in my head 'For God so loved the world.'
I wasn't finishing the verse. I was being told to stop right there. Because isn't that what these kids needed to know? They knew about Jesus. They know the story, as do most people out there.
But do you know, and I mean, do you know, that God loves you? You!
No matter what you did yesterday, what you do today or what you do tomorrow. God will always love you!