Article May 7, 1955 Issue

YOU ARE LOVED

RICHARD PHILLIPS PALMER

Everyone wants to be loved. Everyone yearns to be understood and cared for. Many individuals are enjoying a measure of human affection and companionship, but many others seem to be experiencing loneliness, grief, and heart-rending discords. Since nearly everyone is still longing for more love, how grateful we all can be that the Bible, as explained in the light of Christian Science, shows us how to awaken to the glorious fact that everyone is loved by God, the Father.

God's love is an unchanging, impartial love, here for all of us at all times and in all conditions. No one can ever be separated from the love of God. With spiritual understanding Jeremiah declared (31:3), "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." And John, the beloved disciple of Christ Jesus, after defining God as Love, speaks of God's love in this manner (I John 4:10-12): "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.... If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us."

A very helpful illustration of how God's love for us is perfected in our love for others and in their love for us is that of the healing of the breach between Jacob and Esau. The book of Genesis records that Esau had plotted to kill Jacob for stealing his birthright. But Jacob fled and remained away from his homeland for many years. On his return he learned that Esau with four hundred men was coming to meet him. In fear for his life Jacob turned to God in prayer. Throughout the night he wrestled with his false concept of God and man. At daybreak he beheld God "face to face" (Gen. 32:30) and knew that his life was preserved. Then his nature was transformed.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

WE NEED NOT FEAR THE WEATHER