Kids Talk About God
How big is the love of God?
By Carey Kinsolving and friends
“God’s love is so big, almost nobody can explain it,” says Jamie, age 8. “It’s bigger than 999,999,999 gallons of chocolate milk. No one really knows how big his love is, but all I know is that he loves us no matter what.”
We’re so used to conditional love that it’s difficult even to imagine a God who loves us unconditionally. Human love is often evoked by appealing or beautiful qualities in people. But what about loving people who repulse, despise or even hate us? That’s a different kind of love.
“God’s love is bigger than people’s love, dogs’ love and everyone’s love,” says Catherine, 8.
I’ve noticed a consistent pattern of children wanting their dogs in heaven. These amazing animals seem to be equipped with an unconditional-love button for their masters. No matter how many times you come home, your dog is always excited. Your cat may wake up, meow and go back to sleep.
“Sometimes, I call my sister a bad name. When I get in trouble, God helps me stop crying,” says Spencer, age unknown.
God’s love is bigger than the pain of our failure and sin. Emotional pain can drive us to bitterness and hardness, or to healing and restored fellowship with God. The evil one would keep us in bondage by having us dwell on our past sins. To be sure, there are always people who want to manipulate us by bringing up past sins. The reality of God’s love must become bigger than past failures.
If your spouse has an elephant’s memory, I recommend a bulldog faith that seizes forgiveness of sin through Jesus’ cross and refuses to let go. Determine to live in the light of God’s opinion of you as his beloved child instead of the guilt and condemnation of your past failures.
Until God’s love affects the way we view ourselves and others, it has minimal impact on the way we live. The Apostle John wrote, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9). Jesus offers salvation from the penalty of sin, the power of sin and the presence of sin.
When Christians confess their sins to God, they experience forgiveness, restoration to fellowship with God and freedom from sin’s power. Sin’s penalty of being separated from God forever can’t touch those who have trusted the Lord Jesus as Savior. Confession to God allows believers to agree with God regarding sin and to experience his love afresh as they walk in the light of his will.
“God’s love will never end,” says Kasey, 8. It’s bigger than a hundred trillion, billion elephants! If I compare God’s love to anything, God’s love would be bigger.”
Think about this: When we’re filled with God’s love, there’s no room for fear, guilt, hatred, bitterness, envy or the past failures that torment us. When we realize that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is greater than any sin we can commit, we start to live free. God’s unconditional love has the power to transform us into agents of grace. It’s the greatest motivation for holy living.
Fear may modify one’s behavior, but it can never transform a heart.
Memorize this truth: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment” (I John 4:18).
Ask this question: Will you allow the bigness of God’s love to give you eternal life as a free gift and to fill you with the abundant life God desires for you?
“Kids Talk About God” is written and distributed by Carey Kinsolving. To access free, online “Kids Color Me Bible” books, “Mission Explorers” videos, a new children’s musical, and all columns in a Bible Lesson Archive, visit www.KidsTalkAboutGod.org. To read journey-of-faith feature stories written by Carey Kinsolving, visit www.FaithProfiles.org.
