Lesson 7: God’s Love

In our lessons so far, you have learned these truths about your Father God.

• Sovereignty: God is the sovereign ruler of His creation. He rules it with supreme authority and power.
• Omnipotence, omnipresence, & omniscience: God’s power is more powerful than anything or anyone else in the entire universe. God’s presence is everywhere at the same time. God knows everything there is to know.
• Holiness: God is holy. He is set apart from anything that is sinful or evil.
• Justice: God always does what is morally right and fair.
• Grace: God’s grace is His undeserved favor abundantly poured out on those who desperately need Him.
• Goodness: God is good all the time — even in the tough times, in different ways for each person, and in what He allows or doesn’t allow into our lives.

Today, our lesson is about God’s LOVE—love for you and loving others through you.

Attribute #7: Love

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.” (Psalm 103:8 NIV)

1. How do you feel about that statement that God’s love is for you?

The Bible clearly declares that God is love. And, God’s love is described as a loyal love.

2. Read Psalm 103:8. What descriptions are associated with God’s love?

The NET Bible says that God “demonstrates great loyal love.” The Message translation uses the phrase “rich in love” to describe God’s love.

3. What comes to mind when you think of God “abounding in love” or “rich in love?”

4. Is that the way you walk around thinking about God?

5. Read 1 John 4:7-12.

• How did God show His love to us (verse 9)?
• What is characteristic of people who love God back? Why?

6. Read Romans 5:8. What did God’s love lead Him to do?

7. Read Ephesians 3:17-19.

• What does Paul pray for believers to be (verse 17)?
• What does Paul want believers to grasp and know about God’s love (verses 18-19)?

You are dearly loved. God wants you to know this with confidence.

8. Read Romans 8:38-39? What can separate us from God’s love?

9. So, how long will God’s love last for those who trust Christ?

God’s love is perfect. His love never changes. His love doesn’t end. It is so vast that it never runs out. God doesn’t stop loving. And, nothing can ever separate you from God’s love—not even you. Isn’t that good to know?

Although we may feel love as an emotion, love is really a choice. God chose to love us, not because of anything we have done, or will do, but simply as a choice of His grace toward us. And, because God loves us, He wants us to choose to love others as He does. Love is hard to define, but we can look at what God does to see what it looks like when He loves someone. One of the best ways to see that is to look at Jesus’ life.

This is what Jesus told His disciples, “Anyone who has seen me has seen God the Father.” When we read the life of Jesus in the Bible, we see that Jesus is the walking, talking, visible picture of who God is, what He does, and how He loves. How God loves people. Jesus was saying to His followers, “Want to know how to love? Look at me. Stay focused on me.”

Jesus had been with His disciples for 3 years, loving them as He was teaching them how to love others. Jesus gave a new command to His disciples the night before He died.

10. Read John 13:34-35.

• What is the new command?
• If we obey this command, what message do we give to those watching our lives?

Jesus loved His followers very much. Because Jesus was God, every time He loved His followers, He showed them that God’s love is patient, kind, forgiving, and considers what is best for the one being loved. To learn how to love God’s way, we need to stay focused on Jesus. Jesus shows us how much God loves us. We can see God’s love clearly when we look at Jesus’ life in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and see how Jesus interacted with people. Let’s look at just one chapter in Jesus’ life to see some examples of God’s love.

11. Read Mark 5:1-43.

• How did Jesus demonstrate love to the demon-possessed man?
• How did Jesus demonstrate love to the sick woman?
• How did Jesus demonstrate love to the parents of the sick girl?
• How did Jesus demonstrate love to the sick girl?

By faith, you can look to Jesus and watch what He did as He lived each day on earth. To love like Jesus loved, pray for Jesus to share His heart for people with you and to help you love others like He does. God’s love is patient, kind, forgiving and considers what is best for the one being loved. You can stay focused on Jesus so that you can learn how to love others with God’s love.

“Jesus Christ gave His life for you so He could give His life to you so He could live His life through you.” (Ian Thomas, The Saving Life of Christ)

Trusting Your Father God

1) Bible verse to learn:

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.” (Psalm 103:8 NIV)

2) Response in prayer & praise:

Ask your Father God to help you know and believe in your heart how very much God loves you. You are dearly loved. Are you willing to trust His love for you? Ask your Father God to help you learn how to love others as God does. Jesus will share His heart for people with you so you will want to love others as Jesus did.

3) Discover God the Father:

Spend a few minutes each day reading these prayers and reflecting on how each prayer reveals someone’s understanding of and trust in God. Get to know Him well—this One who loves you dearly.

• Read John chapter 17. Reflect on what you read.
• Read Daniel chapter 9. Reflect on what you read.