God's Safe Love

Psalms 36:7 (NKJV) 7 How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.

Life can be scary. We have all seen how quickly thousands of lives can be changed forever in the wake of a violent storm, a school shooting, or a seven-billion-dollar financial bailout. But there is a place where those who know God, through Christ, can find shelter and relief from anything that this world assaults them with, a place where God's precious, steadfast love is abundant.

Where is that place? David describes it as "in the shadow of God's wings." To be under the shadow of someone's wings means nearness. To be under a wing means you are near the heart. There is a sanctuary that God opens up to anyone who dares to draw near to him. There, God offers you and me a love that will not let us go. He provides your soul eternal love, and nothing can ever wrench you out of his loving embrace.

In the New Testament, Paul puts it this way: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? . . . For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom 8:35-39).

It's as if Paul is saying, "Imagine the worst scenario possible. Do you think God's love can remain credible even there?" What God wants us to see through his holy Word is that our lives are a love story. Our sufferings do not define us; the precious, steadfast love of God defines us. Your redemption is the most beautiful love story ever told. Relish it.

We are engaged to Christ now. Our earthly death will be our wedding day. He is courting us now, winning our hearts through His precious, steadfast love.

God has never promised us a life free from suffering. My husband, Ray, puts it this way: "Look for his love where he himself has promised it. Nothing can ever separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. And what is his love? To make us more like Christ and to prepare us to live forever with Christ. That is the love of God, from which nothing can ever separate us."

God has never promised us a life free from suffering. Therefore, "Look for his love where he himself has promised it. Nothing can ever separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. And what is his love? To make us more like Christ and to prepare us to live forever with Christ. That is the love of God, from which nothing can ever separate us.