The Father’s Heart
Written by Austin Pehl
"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved."
- Ephesians 2:4–5
There are only a handful of moments in my life where I look back and am overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit and by the realization of God’s love for me. One came after we had just had our first child, Harper. At that time, she was just a couple of months old. One night as I was standing in her room holding her, I looked at this fragile, beautiful life and thought I couldn’t possibly love her more.
Then it hit me that God gave us Jesus, His perfect Son, and then sacrificed Him for us. The love I felt for my daughter was deep and unconditional, but I soon realized that God’s love for us is even greater. So great, in fact, that we are incapable of fully comprehending it.
Ephesians 2 reminds us that because of His great love for us, God’s mercy met us not when we were strong, but when we were spiritually dead and broken. He didn’t wait for us to clean ourselves up. In His great love, He made us alive with Christ. That’s not just love, it’s grace.
God’s love for Christ is pure and eternal. Through Christ, that same love is extended to you. You are not just forgiven, you are cherished. Not because of what you’ve done, but because of who He is.
PRAYER: Father, thank You for loving me with a love that reaches me in my brokenness. Help me live in the freedom of Your grace and reflect that love to others. Amen.
