How do I experience the love of God day to day?
God's love is not something we must earn fresh each morning; it was given once and for all at the cross, and the Spirit pours it into our hearts. We experience it day to day in the Shepherd's care, in the Father's delight sung over us, and by renewing our minds to His tender affection, then we live out of that love toward others. It is received, remembered, and reflected.
This question arose from studying What does it mean that God is love? and Who is God the Father?.
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What the Scripture says
Receive it as already given, not daily re-earned
Paul locates the proof of love in the past, finished work of Christ: 'God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us,' and John says, 'In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us.' We do not experience God's love by making ourselves lovable today; we experience it by believing the love He showed once at the cross, which never recedes. The feeling may fluctuate; the fact does not.
For while we were yet weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man. Yet perhaps for a righteous person someone would even dare to die. But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
The Spirit pours it into our hearts
Paul adds the dimension of felt experience: 'hope doesn't disappoint us, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.' The love is not only a doctrine to be studied but a gift to be savored, and the Spirit is the one who makes it vivid. Paul prays that we would be 'strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man,' so that Christ dwells in our hearts by faith and we may 'know Christ's love which surpasses knowledge,' filled with all the fullness of God.
and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know Christ’s love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
See it in the Shepherd's daily care
Psalm 23 is the hymn of a life held by love: 'Yahweh is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing... He restores my soul,' and 'surely goodness and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life.' Jesus tells us not to be anxious because our Father feeds the birds and 'Aren't you of much more value than they?' The everyday mercies of sleep, food, and breath, the people and graces we did not earn, are the love of God in a low and constant key, present every single day.
Yahweh is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Surely goodness and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in Yahweh’s house forever.Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing? See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they?Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
It is because of Yahweh’s loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassion doesn’t fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Renew your mind to His affection and delight
Zephaniah gives a staggering picture of God's nearness: 'Yahweh, your God, is in your midst... He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing.' Not a distant approval but a rejoicing, singing delight over His people. We experience this as we preach it to ourselves and 'be still, and know that I am God,' letting the truth of God's delight settle where our fears have lived.
Yahweh, your God, is in your midst, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing.The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.”Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Yahweh appeared of old to me, saying, Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn you.The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
It is because of Yahweh’s loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassion doesn’t fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Live it out, and it comes alive
The love we receive is meant to become the love we give. John's chain is the rule of the Christian life: 'We love him, because he first loved us,' and, 'Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God.' Paul calls us to 'walk in love, even as Christ also loved you.' We experience God's love day to day as we receive it at the cross, savor it by the Spirit, see it in daily mercies, preach its delight to our hearts, and spill it over onto the people God puts in our path.
We love him, because he first loved us.We love him, because he first loved us.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves has been born of God, and knows God.Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
Be therefore imitators of God, as beloved children. Walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance.Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
Beloved, if God loved us in this way, we also ought to love one another.Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
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How can I know God's affection for me is real and not just a doctrine?→“He who didn’t spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely give us all things?He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”What is the difference between God's discipline and the devil's accusation?→“I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, the power, and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ has come; for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night.And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.”What does it mean to abide in Christ's love?→“Even as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and remain in his love.As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.”How do I receive love when I don't feel lovable?→“But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”Why did God create us?→“neither is he served by men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself gives to all life and breath, and all things.Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;”Can you prove God exists?→“The heavens declare the glory of God. The expanse shows his handiwork.The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.”Why does God harden hearts?→“but indeed for this cause I have made you stand: to show you my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth;And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.”Can someone whose heart has been hardened come back?→“Seek Yahweh while he may be found; call you on him while he is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”Explore further
What does it mean that we were made for relationship?→Who We Are trail“God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”Hold onto these
Verses to meditate on
and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Yahweh, your God, is in your midst, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing.The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
Yahweh is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing.The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know Christ’s love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
We love him, because he first loved us.We love him, because he first loved us.
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