Personal Love of God

 In the Old Testament we read how God loved Israel.

But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.”
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! Is 49:14–15 NIV

Who is God talking about here? God speaks of his love for Israel, for the Jews. If you are Jewish, you can understand this declaration of love very personally.

But I am not Jewish and probably neither are you. Jesus loves us no less than the Jews.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jn 3:16 NIV

God loves the whole world, but what does that mean for you?

God loves everyone, but you are not just a specimen of humanity. God loves you personally.

God loved Abraham, Moses, David, Mary, John and Paul personally, but you are not a shining saint, are you?

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 1 Jn 3:1 NRSV

If all genuinely converted Christians are children of God, then as a follower of Jesus you are also a child of God.  

Then you can understand all of God's declarations of love in the Bible as His love for you.
Of course, when God explains how He loves the Jews, He is talking about the Jews.

But God loves you no less, because God is love.

It is often said that God has no favourite children.
Is that true? No.

Every child of God is His favourite child.

I am God's favourite child and you are also God's favourite child.

God also wants to bless you, help you, heal you when you are sick, because you are his favourite child.

Jesus took the punishment for all your sins on the cross. When we entrust our lives to Jesus, he no longer sees our sins.

For God took the sinless Christ and poured into him our sins. Then, in exchange, he poured God's goodness into us! 2 Cor 5:21 (Today's Living Bible)

Shortly before his death on the cross, Jesus told his disciples:

As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. Jn 15:9 NRSV

And Jesus loves you with the same love.