Embraced by Love

May 07, 2025

Jesus came not just to save us from sin but primarily to reveal God as our loving Father.

Today, let's immerse ourselves in the profound reality of God's unconditional love. This isn't just a theological concept to understand intellectually, it's a transformative truth meant to be experienced daily. As we explore the depths of divine love, prepare for your heart to be awakened to a Father who sees you, runs toward you, and embraces you with compassion that knows no bounds.

The Foundation of Our Thinking

Our thoughts shape our reality, but what shapes our thoughts? Understanding who God is and how deeply He loves us forms the foundation of right thinking. Just as only two of the twelve spies sent to explore Canaan believed in God's promises, many of us struggle to fully grasp the magnitude of divine love. This isn't surprising we've never experienced this kind of love in our earthly relationships. That's why we must continually meditate on this truth until it transforms our perception.

Your thinking matters. In order to get your thinking right, you need to know who God is and how much He loves you, that's where right thinking starts.

The Father Who Runs

In Luke 15, Jesus tells the story of a father whose love defies cultural norms and human expectations:

So the young son set off for home. From a long distance away, his father saw him coming, dressed as a beggar, and great compassion swelled up in his heart for his son was returning home. The father raced out to meet him, swept him in his arms, and kissed him over and over with tender love. - Luke 15:20 (TPT)

Notice the father's response—he doesn't wait for his son to reach him. He doesn't demand an apology first. Instead, compassion swells in his heart, and he races toward his wayward child. This is not the measured response of someone protecting their dignity; this is the unrestrained love of a father whose heart has been longing for reunion.

When we approach God, the first thing that happens isn't a lecture or a list of requirements, it's an emotional healing through His embrace. Just as a heartbroken person needs a hug before they need advice, our hearts need to experience God's embrace before we can receive His direction.

Radical, Unconditional Love

The prophet Hosea provides perhaps the most startling picture of God's love in all of Scripture:

The Lord said to me, "Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods." - Hosea 3:1

This command defies human logic and natural response. Hosea's wife Gomer had left him for another man, living in adultery. Yet God instructs Hosea to take her back and love her again, not because she deserved it, but as a living demonstration of how God loves His people despite their spiritual unfaithfulness.

This is extreme, radical love that seems impossible by human standards. When someone betrays us, our natural response is rejection. But God's love operates on a different plane entirely.

Beyond Sin to Relationship

Why did Jesus come to earth? The common answer is "to save us from sin," which is certainly true. But there's a deeper purpose: He came to reveal a loving Father.

Sin was like an accident blocking our journey. The destination was never the accident zone, the destination was knowing our loving Father.

Sin was the obstacle that needed to be removed, but the goal was always relationship. Jesus didn't come merely to show us God as a distant deity but to reveal Him as Abba, our loving Father who longs for connection with His children.

The Root of Sin

What causes us to turn away from God? At its core, sin stems from not understanding God's love and blessing. The prodigal son left because he didn't comprehend his father's love. Gomer left Hosea because she failed to grasp the depth of his devotion. Israel turned to other gods because they underestimated Yahweh's love.

This reveals two vital truths: First, we must never underestimate God's love but continually remain in His presence. Second, no matter how far we've fallen or how dark our situation seems, we're never beyond the reach of His love. God loves us exactly as we are, not as we should be.

A New Perspective

When you truly understand that your Father is the God of the universe, everything changes your prayers, your outlook on problems, your entire life. You don't approach needs with desperation but with confidence in your Father's resources and willingness to provide.

Jesus modeled this in His prayers: "Father, I know that you love me..." His relationship with the Father was the foundation of His confidence. This same relationship is available to us.

Conclusion

God's love isn't like anything we experience in human relationships. It's unconditional, unfailing, and unending. This love was poured out at Calvary and continues to flow toward us each day. When we truly grasp this love, everything begins to work differently, healing flows more freely, blessings aren't hindered, and we live from a place of security rather than striving.

Today, experience the Father running toward you. Feel His embrace healing your heart. Know that no matter where you've been or what you've done, His love remains constant. Live in this love, walk in this love, and from this foundation, watch as every area of your life is transformed.

Reflect on This

1. In what areas of your life have you been underestimating God's love, and how might your perspective change if you truly believed in His unconditional acceptance?

2. How would your approach to prayer and daily challenges transform if you consistently viewed God as your loving Father rather than a distant deity?

Prayer

Father, I declare that Your unconditional love surrounds me today. I am Your beloved child, and nothing can separate me from Your love. I receive Your embrace that heals my emotional wounds and restores what was lost. I stand secure in the knowledge that You see me, run toward me, and delight in me. Your love transforms my thinking and empowers me to live victoriously. I walk in the confidence of being a child of the God of the universe, knowing that Your resources are available to me. Thank You for loving me as I am while transforming me into who You've created me to be. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Key Takeaways

• Understanding God's unconditional love forms the foundation of right thinking and transforms our entire perspective.

• When we approach God, His first response is emotional healing through His embrace, followed by restoration of what was lost.

• Jesus came not just to save us from sin but primarily to reveal God as our loving Father.

• The root cause of sin is not understanding God's love and blessings.

• When we grasp that our Father is the God of the universe, our approach to prayer and problems fundamentally changes.

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To dive deeper into this powerful message, watch the full sermon on our YouTube video below.