Melissa, If One Life: Love, Joy, and Hope Through TrialsSample

“Christ, I want to put You first in my heart. I want to allow You to direct my steps. But above direction, protection, provision, and so on, I want Your love. I want my heart to be sold out, head over heels in love with You! You know, I feel like my love has been waiting for me—that’s You. I feel You’ve called and written, even sent messengers to tell me You’re waiting and that Your love will endure forever for me. Yet, I told You to wait. I sent messages back to let You know my heart wasn’t ready to commit. My days weren’t ready to be joined with Yours. 

Well, today I realize this world offers me one thing. It offers me my intense need for You. I want to send You a new message, long overdue, but finally sincere. Jesus Christ, my precious Lord and gracious Savior, thank You. Thank You for pursuing me. Thank You for winning my love by Your true love for me. I know You to be so in love with me, and it’s because of that love that I am now so in love with You. Heavenly Father, thank You that You give me the perfect love I’ve been looking for.” – Melissa Camp

Often trials cause doubt and questions about God’s love. How can you trust God if you doubt His love? Knowing God’s personal, intimate love for you is absolutely foundational. Melissa was victorious because she knew the love of God that surpassed knowledge. She did not just have head knowledge or a belief in God’s love, she knew and experienced His perfect love for her. 

The Word of God says that God loves you with an everlasting love and that He draws you with loving kindness. He pursues you with messages and waits patiently for you to respond to His love. He demonstrated His love for us in that when we were still sinners, at our very worst, He died for us! How amazing is that? His love will never fail us. It is not temporary; it is permanent, perpetual, and never changing. 

God’s love for you is unconditional and is based on His nature and character and not yours. There is nothing that can ever separate you from His love. Melissa responded to God’s love for her by loving Him with all her heart, mind, and soul. Jesus’ love caused Him to sacrifice all for her and she willingly surrendered all to Him.

Reflection

When bad things happen do you doubt or question God’s love for you? How do you think knowing and experiencing God’s love would change your perspective?

The journey God took Melissa on included a love story for the ages and it all began right here “ - to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge.” Do you KNOW the love of Christ?