Special Teen Issue

Top 10 Things: God loves about you

Does God really love us? A very smart young person told me they thought of one thing that God could not do. “What is it,” I asked? “God cannot not love!” That is true. God is love, and God’s love for us is eternal. (1 Jn 4:8)
That is hard to believe sometimes. We can mess up. We can get ourselves into trouble. We can think badly of ourselves, even hate ourselves. But that never stops God from loving us. The more we accept God’s love in our lives, the happier we will be and the more we can love others. To be filled with love is to have heaven in our hearts. So, for our spiritual fitness this month, we are going to meditate on God’s love for us.
Below is a list of 10 things that God tells us to show his love for us. They are all from Scripture. Try to make up a list of your own and personalize it. What are 10 things that God loves about you?
1 I know everything about you. (Ps 139)
2 I knew you before you were born. (Jer 1:4-5)
3 You are not a mistake. (Ps 139; Eph 1:3-14)
4 I even know the number of hairs on your head – a very consoling thought for someone like me, who is losing his hair. God has to count daily! (Matthew 10:29-31)
5 I want you in my family. (Jn 14:1-4; Lk 15:11-24)
6 I will provide for your deepest needs. (Jn 4:13-14; 6:46-58; Mt 6:25-34)
7 I will deliver you from all evil. (Mt 6:9-13; Rev 20:10- 21:1-3)
8 I will forgive your sins and cast them far away from you. (Is 38:17)
9 I will comfort you in your trials, and wipe away all your tears. (Is 43; Rev 21)
10 I will die for you. (Jn 15:13; Jn 19)

By: Fr. Bill Ashbaugh is pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Howell
Originally Published: September 2003