Known and Loved

A couple of days ago our chapel speaker made a passing comment on being known and loved by God. I haven't been able to shake it. It is amazing to me how refreshing the gospel is even though I have known the Lord for years. We are known and loved. Being loved without being known is empty sentiment. No one is moved by the profession of a stranger's love. How can one love another without knowing them? Being known without being loved equates to rejection. We are known and loved by the Almighty. He is not fooled by the masks we wear, but clearly sees the depths of our depravity. And even still, Christ laid down His life to ransom us to the Father.

Consider the greatness of our all knowing, loving God.

"And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and we by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."
Ephesians 2:1-10

- Hugh