Dear Amy,

Have you ever come to realise something about the Lord which completely blew your mind?

We love because he first loved us.

― 1 John 4:19

Now let’s consider just one aspect of the nature of God’s love.

My life group is working its way through Jim Packer’s book, Knowing God. Last week we came upon just such a realisation. I can’t do better than to share the extract which had this effect on me.

If a father continues cheerful and carefree while his son is getting into trouble, or if a husband remains unmoved when his wife is in distress, we wonder at once how much love there can be in their relationship, for we know that those who truly love are only happy when those whom they love are truly happy also. So it is with God in his love for us.

― J.I. Packer, Knowing God, Chapter 12, The Love of God

Already this is giving us an inkling that there could be something truly profound about the nature of God’s love that we may have overlooked. Packer continues.

Through setting his love on human beings God has voluntarily bound up his own final happiness with theirs.

― J.I. Packer

Oh my! Could he really have done this? I am mind-blown already.

He has set his love upon particular sinners, and this means that, by his own free voluntary choice, he will not know perfect and unmixed happiness again till he has brought every one of them to heaven. He has in effect resolved that henceforth for all eternity his happiness shall be conditional upon ours.

― J.I. Packer

It is almost beyond comprehension that the Lord would do this. How much pain, searing, lasting pain, has he taken upon himself in this decision? How much of his joy is now tied up in ours? What kind of love is this? What kind of God is this?

Thus God saves, not only for his glory, but also for his gladness. This goes far to explain why it is that there is joy (God’s own joy) in the presence of the angels when a sinner repents (Luke 15:10), and why there will be exceeding joy when God sets us faultless at the last day in his own holy presence (Jude v24). The thought passes understanding and almost beggars belief, but there is no doubt that according to Scripture, such is the love of God.

― J.I. Packer

Consider what it means that the Lord has set his love on you, Amy, and may it blow your mind! 🙏