God’s Love For Us Defends

David W Palmer

God’s love is amazing; and the apostle Paul described it brilliantly for us in the following passage. Today we are looking at the last point he mentions: “If you love someone, you will … always stand your ground in defending him.”

(1 Corinthians 13:4–7 TLB) “Love is … {7} If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him.”

Love Defends Unswervingly

The “God’s Word” translation of the Bible puts verse 7 like this:

(1 Corinthians 13:7 GWT) “Love never stops being patient, never stops believing, never stops hoping, never gives up.”

This shows us that in his absolute love for us, God never gives up on us. (Provided, that is, we don’t commit the unforgivable sin (Mark 3:29, Heb. 6:4, Gen. 6, 1 John 5:16). And if you are reading this, and are at all concerned about whether you have committed it; you haven’t.) God will never give up believing the best of you, and planning for a bright future for you:

(Jeremiah 29:11 NIV) “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

God is filled with hope, positive thoughts, good plans, and overflowing love toward those with hearts after him—those who want to do what is right in his eyes. He holds to his vision of us growing to maturity in Jesus, conformed to his image, and clothed in his glory. What’s more, God’s love is so patient, and his hope so enduring and unswerving that he will never give up on his dream for you.

One of Rosanna’s early songs was, “Lord, it’s me again”—implying, I’ve sinned again; please don’t give up on me. Her later song, “You Are Special” says, “I will never give up on you.” The first one shows how we feel, but the second one truly reflects God’s heart attitude in response. I have to admit that in my early prayer life, I often felt the need to pray: “Lord, please don’t give up on me,” after I felt like I’d failed in some area. The truth is that God never leaves us nor forsakes us (Heb. 13:5); he is always with us (Mat. 28:20}; and he never gives up on us, as long as he sees even a glimmer of hope that we can make it.

However, in our weaknesses, transgressions, and slips, our enemy constantly accuses us before God:

(Revelation 12:10 NLT) “… the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth—the one who accuses them before our God day and night.”

Despite this constant barrage of accusation—and despite it often having a high percentage of factually accurate content—God will always stand his ground in defending us; but that is only if our faith is still in the shed blood of Jesus for our justification. Our only plea before him is the blood of Jesus: the one claim that summarizes everything the new covenant stands for—forgiveness, redemption, restoration, healing, salvation, etc.

Today, I encourage you to see your God as the one who will never give up on you, the one who will always defend you, and who believes that you can make it. His hope is enduring, and his love never fails or gives out. He has high hopes for you—not to put unrealistic expectations on you—but because he believes that he can “make” you into what he dreams you can be:

“Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Mat. 4:19 NKJV)

You are His “Workmanship”

(Ephesians 2:10 NKJV) “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

It is God who is at work in you—shaping, moulding, and transforming you through his word and gracious Holy Spirit:

(Philippians 2:13 NKJV) “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”

(Hebrews 13:21 NKJV) “Make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Be encouraged today; the greatest expert in the universe is lovingly and meticulously working in and on you to complete his masterpiece—the plan he had in mind when he created you. He is so good at what he does, that he really can work all things for good:

(Romans 8:28 NIV) “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

I encourage you right now to remind yourself that, if you sincerely trust and follow him, God will never give up on you, and that he will always stand his ground in defending you.