LOVED

Love is what we long for.

We express different kinds of love. You may love your strong legs. You may love how the sun rises on your way to a team workout. You may even love how effortlessly your sport comes for you. You may love pancakes in the morning and also love your family, but those both have different meanings. All those love examples show affection, but another love sits above the rest. A deep, lasting love that’s wired deep within us and that goes to the center of our very being. We desire beauty, depth, vulnerability, to be seen, valued, and treasured. We long to know that no matter what we do or say, we are still deeply loved at the end of the day.

What if God has given us what we need and has made it easy to find His love?

When God fashioned the folds of the earth and grafted the stars in the sky, He saw your face and knew the kind of woman you’d become. You are created in His image, the delight of His heart, and He longs for you to recognize your worth as His beloved daughter. You are of immense joy and value to Him. Do you believe this? Please take a moment and ask yourself if you truly believe God loves you personally. Ask God what He has to say about this.

He calls us daughters, not by anything we have done, but because of His great love. How do we know God’s love? We look to who He gave us: Jesus. God loves you with an incredible, personal love. Before the foundations of the world, He set you apart. God came and sent His Son to come and rescue you from the danger of sin so you could be with Him for all time. All He desires is your heart and a relationship with you.

When our hearts wring with worry over whether we’re good enough for that spot on the team or if that guy thinks we’re attractive, God gently whispers that we are beautiful in His sight and loved just as we are. He’s captivated by you because He made you with intention. He looks at all the things that make you you—your personality, your compassion, your strength and commitment, the way you see the world—and smiles because He intentionally put them into your soul.

God is love. And love has been here since the beginning of time. It’s not going anywhere. His is the love we can count on. It’s faithful, true, selfless, gentle, keeps no records of wrongs, and delights in truth. It compels us closer. It spreads shade to our parched and sun-scorched souls and roots us into the soil of Jesus Christ. When we look to Jesus, we find where we belong. There’s no need to try to earn love or be a better version of ourselves to fit in. You are seen and accepted already. The love you’re longing for is yours to simply receive.

Talk About It:

As teammates, you can help each other learn the Truth about who you are as God’s daughters. The theory that there’s strength in numbers is supported in Scripture—starting with the Father Himself as One of Three—and it certainly applies to you in your quest to embrace who you really are. By joining forces with your teammates, you can multiply your strength and resources in the battle for your souls. As a group, let’s work through the following questions and activities together:

1. What are some characteristics of God’s love?
2. Do you believe God personally loves you? Why or why not?
3. What’s the difference between worldly love and biblical love?

Prayer:

“God, it’s amazing how You love me. Personally. Intentionally. Simply because I am Your daughter. Thank You for loving me so well. Please let the truth of Your love sink into my heart in ways I need to experience, that I may trust in Your unfailing love and live it out in my life. Your love changes everything, and it’s the most beautiful truth to be loved by the God of the universe. You are my anchor. I want to keep receiving Your love. In Jesus’ name, amen.”