Worthless.
Abandoned.
Second-rate.
Fully known and fully labeled.
Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? They’re the voices we recognize in our hearts but aren’t too keen on admitting out loud, because they all point to one fact:
We just want to be loved.
Not just “loved”—but known and loved. Fully, completely, and in all our wild and wonderful moments of being an imperfect person following a perfect God. In fact, there’s an entire day dedicated to writing and receiving love notes (both platonic and romantic), proving that we as individuals want to both receive and give love to others. There’s nothing “wrong” or “bad” about that—we’re wired to love!
However, in doing so, we need to root ourselves deeply in the source of all love so we don’t damage our identity or find love in the wrong places. The only way we can do that is by spending time with God—reading His love notes especially created for us.
How to read the Bible
We often resist the idea of God’s love because we forget our identity. The enemy is a sneaky snake, and he’d love to lead God’s people to believe that they’re alone and unlovable. That’s why it’s so crucial to read God’s “love notes” to us found in His Word.
As we read and meditate on what He says to us, His words transform and empower us to share His love with others. His words speak directly to our hearts because His Word is living and active [Hebrews 4:12, NIV].
If you’ve ever read a book or watched a movie more than once, you’ve likely recognized details, plot points, or phrases that stood out to you differently after that first glance. It’s the same way when we read the Bible—God gives us what we need in His perfect timing.
Whether you’re a lifelong Christian who wants to go deeper or a new believer starting your faith journey, there’s always a fresh revelation of love to be found in God’s Word. Here’s a few tips to get started:
- Dive into a word study: Look up all the instances where love (or another word or theme that speaks to you) appears in the Bible and see what He has to say.
- Grab a friend to understand the Bible: Context, timeline, culture, and places can be confusing upon a first reading. Set up a Bible study to process with a trusted friend, pastor, or mentor as you encourage each other.
- Try out a reading plan: Maybe you prefer to read chronologically, by theme, or by book. No matter how you read, a plan can help you stay on track and give you goals to work towards.
- Find a new format: Struggling to read? Try a narrated or audio version of the Bible, write out verses, discover Scripture-based worship songs, find a coloring book with Scripture pages, or process verbally with your church small group.
Love notes: Reminders of everlasting love
No matter how you engage with the Bible, God is faithful to meet you where you are. His Word is one long love letter waiting to be opened, carefully crafted with the love of Christ.
He adores hearing from His children, and He wants to share timeless truths about who you are! After all, He says you’re precious [Isaiah 43:4], beautiful [Song of Solomon 4:7], and so very loved [John 3:16].
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” – Jeremiah 31:3 [NIV]
God wants to bring us joy and heal our hurting hearts so that we can live our lives to the fullest and serve others well. One way for us to share that love is by crafting notes of encouragement for our friends and family members. Tuck a few gems inside by including “love notes” from God’s heart (Scripture verses) to remind them of their true identity found in Christ. He’ll lead you to the right words in His perfect timing. As you read and share, you can rest knowing that:
Where the enemy says “worthless,” God says “worthy.”
Where the enemy says “abandoned,” God says “chosen.”
Where the enemy says “second-rate,” God says “intentionally made.”
And where the enemy says “fully known and labelled”, God says “fully known and loved.”
