Bible Text: 1 John 4:10 | Speaker: Dr. Harold J. Sala | Series: Guidelines For Living | This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:10

“An infinite God can give all of Himself to each of His children,” wrote A. W. Tozer, continuing, “He does not distribute Himself that each may have a part, but to each one He gives all of Himself as fully as if there were no others.” Tozer was rephrasing something that Augustine wrote in the sixth century when he said that God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.

Do you believe that? It’s comforting and encouraging to believe that, but is it true? A mother’s love is about as close to God’s love as anything you find on earth, so the true story I’m about to relate may help you put aside your skepticism, your wondering whether or not you really count in God sight, questioning whether you are important enough for Him to hear your cry, to see your tears, and feel your pain.

A psychologist was talking to a young mother and asked, “Which of your three children do you love the most?” She immediately answered, “I love all my three children the same.” Skeptically he began to refute what she had said. “Come off it now!” he said, “It is psychologically impossible for anyone to regard any three human beings exactly the same.” Confronted so abruptly, she broke down and began to cry.

Then finding her voice she said, “All right, I do not love all three of my children the same. When one of my three children is sick, I love that child more. When one of my three children is in pain, or lost, I love that child more. When one of my children is confused, I love that child more. And when one of my children is bad—I don’t mean naughty, I mean really bad,–I love that child more.” The she concluded, “Except for those exceptions I do love all three of my children about the same.” (James Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited, Tyndale, Wheaton, IL, 1988, p. 251).

A mother’s love explains how God’s love and compassion are totally focused on you when you need His help. Tozer was right. God doesn’t parcel or divide up His love, or love us best when we are nice and do good things; to the contrary He loves us the most deeply when we have strayed the farthest, when our needs are the greatest.

If you question that, take a lingering look at Jesus’ relationships with troubled, hurting people. You will find one of the longest conversations that Jesus ever had with anyone with a woman whose morals were loose, who was living with a man to whom she was not even married. Seemingly the farther people had strayed from the straight and narrow, the greater was the focus of Jesus’ attention on their lives.

Many people–perhaps, you, too–go through a wandering desert or maze of doubt until they really connect with the loving God who sent His son. At first, they simply know He’s out there somewhere. Then they wonder if He’s not the policeman who will record both their good and bad deeds. Then they try to believe, but keep stumbling over their failures, thinking, “Not good enough!”

Then they want God to be there for them, like a safety net to catch them if they fall, but they are still the one who is leading the way. Finally, they hear the voice of God’s son saying, “Follow me!” and realize that Jesus Christ needs to lead the way; and that’s when they cease to have God be their co-pilot and embrace His Son as Lord, putting God first in what they do.

He loves you unconditionally. Now love Him back the same way. Remember Jesus’ question to Peter, “Do you love me?” Listen carefully, and you’ll hear that voice asking the same question. He’s listening for your answer. If you love Him, follow Him.

Resource reading: John 21:15-25