Does God only Love Us, or Does He Actually Like Us Too?

Lately, I’ve been reading through a book called Grace Walk by Steve McVey.  So far, it’s been a great journey and helping me through a lot of self-worth and self-esteem issues that I struggle with in my life.  In the opening chapter, McVey says this about how he used to feel about God’s feelings towards him, “I knew that He always loved me, but felt that He probably didn’t like me…”(McVey, 2005).

Gosh did that ring true with me.  I felt the weight of that statement very deeply in my soul and took a long while to process it.  So, the question remains, does God just love us, or does He actually like us too.?

I think that this question arises initially from a distorted view of what God’s love is.

This perspective of God’s love paints Him as a disapproving disgruntled parent who obligingly is forced to love His children because it’s in His nature. It’s as if He has no choice but to love us and if it were up to Him, He wouldn’t. He just loves us because He has to. This view shows a God who seems to be constantly disappointed in His children and puts up with them out of pure duty.

The truth is radically different as McVey points out late in the book. God loves us AND likes us.  Psalm 16:3 says, “As for the saints who are in the earth, they are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight.” Psalm 149:4 says, “For the Lord takes pleasure in His people.”  God doesn’t love us obligingly.  He not only loves us, He takes pleasure in us and delights in us.

Just go back to the beginning of the world. When God looked out over His creation, “He saw ALL that He had made, and behold, it was very good.”  That “all” includes every single person ever born. Later, the Psalmist says in Psalm 104:31, “Let the Lord be glad in His works.” God didn’t make a mistake when He created us. He still looks at His creation and says, “It is very good.”  That includes each and every human on the earth. We are all His creation and not only does He love us (by choice mind you, not by obligation), He actually likes us as well. In His eyes, we are his delight, His pleasure, and we are very good.  That thought, to me, is so encouraging, uplifting, and fulfilling.

 

I hope you’re encouraged by that thought as well.  This is the first part of a series that I’m doing on love stories from the Bible.  If you want to follow the blog and get a notification whenever I post something new, simply click on the pop-up in the lower right hand corner.

 

McVey, Steve. Grace Walk. Harvest House Publishers, 2005.

25 Bible Jokes

I decided to combine my love of dad jokes with my love of Jesus and write some jokes based (loosely) on the Bible.  Some of them are really bad.  Be ye warned.

Why didn’t Joseph wear a necktie?  He always wore a coat of mini collars

What did Jesus say to the Mexican Jumping Beans?  Peas! Be still.

Why was Peter’s writing so lyrical?  When he was in prison, he was bound with Two Chainz.

Why don’t Jamaican Christians cut wood?  Their pastor says that God is one but He be made of tree parts. (Read in a Jamaican accent or it doesn’t make sense…it might still not make sense.)

Why did Moses want the Chief Wahoo logo gone?  He was always partial to the Red C.

What did Jesus say when T got too close to V?  I’m going to prepare a place for U.

What did Jesus say to the acorns that fell too fast?  Have faith and just be leaves.

Why did the disciples quit Black Lives Matter in the Garden of Gethsemane? They couldn’t stay woke,

Why did everyone think Jesus was a big gambler?  He was always talking about a pair a dice.

Why are beans the holiest vegetable? Jesus said “Blessed are the peas makers.”

Why did 3 John put pants on Jude?  He didn’t want any more Revelations.

When did Jesus get involved in the NBA? When he stopped James and John from fixing the Nets. (No wonder they’re so bad each year)

What would Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob name their football team? The New England Patriarchs.

What does Mike Tyson think is the hottest underwear in the Bible?  The Thong of Tholomon.

What did Festus say when Paul asked to go to Caesar? “Seize her? I didn’t even think you knew her!”

What did Jonah say when the fish asked if he wanted to be spit out? “Yes! For shore!”

When are bartenders mentioned in the Bible? When Jesus said “Blessed are the pouring spirits.”

Why did Jezebel want Naboth’s Vineyard so bad?  She thought it was just grapes.

Why do Christians drink soy protein? They believe Jesus is the only whey.

Why was everyone so happy that Saul missed when he threw the spear at David? If he had hit him, I’d could have been truly harp breaking.

What did Mary say when Jesus’ room was messy? “What were you, born in a stable?”

What is Jonah’s favorite spot in Jerusalem? The whaling wall.

Why wasn’t Noah good at math? He could only count two by two.

Why did Solomon have to be so smart? To remember all his anniversaries.

Why do Christians eat so much cheese? Jesus was always talking about having a grater love.

 

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