Does God love everyone?

“For​ ​God​ ​so​ ​loved​ ​the​ ​world”​ ​is​ ​the​ ​opening​ ​of one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​most​ ​famous scriptures​ ​ever​ ​shared.​

Many​ ​believe​ ​this​ ​verse to​ ​be​ ​true…​that​ ​God​ ​loves​ ​the​ ​whole​ ​world. Do you believe that? Do you believe that He doesn’t love just the people you and I encounter, but he loves the people in India, Kenya, South Sudan, and in every single nook and cranny of the world? Do you believe that there are no exclusions or no fine print to God’s love for His people?

This ​time​ ​of​ ​the​ year, we sing songs about God’s love for the world and His creation. We celebrate who He is and how His birth changed the world. Although it’s a time to celebrate and be filled with joy, it lacks its luster for people​ ​dealing​ ​with​ ​great​ ​heartache​ ​and loneliness during Christmastime.​​ It begs those hurting to​​ look inwardly and ask​ ​the​ ​question​ ​“Does​ ​God​ ​love​ everyone?” ​​​and​ ​most​ ​importantly “Does​ ​He​ ​love​ ​me?”​

A​ ​few​ ​years​ ​ago​, ​I​ ​met​ ​a​ ​child​ ​at​ ​a detention treatment and shelter care center who was​​ ​asking questions of God’s love for him. ​He was​ ​doubting​ ​God’s​ ​love​ ​for​ ​him,​ ​just​ ​like​ ​many​ ​of​ ​us​ ​do.​ ​As​ ​I​ ​sat​ ​with​ ​him​ ​he​ ​asked,​ ​“If​ ​God loves​ ​me,​ ​why​ ​haven’t​ ​my​ ​parents​ ​come​ ​to​ ​see​ ​me?” Why​ ​wouldn’t​ ​his​ ​parents​ ​come​ ​see​ ​him?​ ​I​ ​am​ ​sure​ ​there​ ​was​ ​a​ ​reason​ ​beyond​ ​my understanding,​ ​but​ ​the​ ​reality​ ​was​ ​a​ ​10​ year​ ​old​ ​boy​ ​was​ ​all​ ​alone​ ​at​ ​Christmas​.​ ​Where was​​ ​God​ ​who​ ​loved​ ​the​ ​whole​ ​world,​ ​while​ ​this​ ​boy’s​ ​world​ ​was​ ​falling​ ​apart?

Unfortunately, I’m sure many of you can relate to this boy. Is​ ​there​ ​anything​ ​happening​ ​in​ ​your​ ​world​ ​right​ ​now​ ​that​ ​has​ ​you​ ​feeling like​ ​God​ ​has​ ​forgotten about​ ​you​ ​or​ ​doesn’t​ ​love​ ​you​ ​enough​ ​to​ ​change​ ​the​ ​difficult​ ​situations​ ​in​ ​your​ ​life?​ ​

The​ ​truth​ ​is God​’s love for you is so vast and so wide, it’s almost incomprehensible.​ ​In​ ​fact​, He​ ​is​ ​pursuing​ ​you​ ​with​ ​His​ ​love​ ​even​ ​now​ ​as​ ​you​ ​read​ ​this.​ ​I​ ​had​ ​the privilege​ ​of​ ​sharing​ ​His​ ​pursuant​ ​love​ ​with​ ​that​ ​child.​ ​I​ ​had​ ​never​ ​met​ ​him​ ​before​ ​that day,​ ​yet​ ​was​ ​compelled​ ​to​ ​go​ ​visit.​ ​God​ ​allowed​ ​me​ ​to​ ​show​ ​him​ ​he​ ​was​ ​not​ ​forgotten​ ​about​ ​and that​ ​he​ ​was​ ​loved.

There’s​ ​a​ ​beautiful​ ​scripture​ ​in​ ​Romans​ ​8:38-39​ ​that​ ​tells us​ ​nothing​ ​can​ ​ever​ ​separate​ ​us​ ​from God’s​ ​love.​​ ​​“…Neither​ ​death​ ​nor​ ​life,​ ​neither​ ​angels​ ​nor​ ​demons,​ ​neither​ ​our​ ​fears​ ​for​ ​today​ ​nor our​ ​worries​ ​about​ ​tomorrow—not​ ​even​ ​the​ ​powers​ ​of​ ​hell​ ​can​ ​separate​ ​us​ ​from​ ​God’s​ ​love.​​ ​N​o power​ ​in​ ​the​ ​sky​ ​above​ ​or​ ​in​ ​the​ ​earth​ ​below—indeed,​ ​nothing​ ​in​ ​all​ ​creation​ ​will​ ​ever​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to separate​ ​us​ ​from​ ​the​ ​love​ ​of​ ​God​ ​that​ ​is​ ​revealed​ ​in​ ​Christ​ ​Jesus​ ​our​ ​Lord.”

On​ ​that​ ​Saturday​ ​afternoon,​ ​I met that child in the midst of despair to remind him of that truth​. ​My​ ​prayer​ ​for​ ​you today,​ ​as​ ​it​ ​was​ ​for​ ​that​ ​child​ ​a​ ​few​ ​years​ ​ago,​ ​is​ ​that​ ​you​ ​know​ ​God​ ​truly​ ​ ​love​ ​you​ ​and​ ​His love​ ​can​ ​be​ ​freely​ ​found​ ​in​ ​Jesus​ ​Christ.​ ​He loves everyone, no matter your past, your present, your situations or your circumstances. At​ ​the​ ​heart​ ​of​ ​Christmas​ ​is​ ​His unfailing​ ​love,​ ​which​ ​is for​ ​every[one].

– Jeremiah Roy Kensington Clarkston, Teaching Pastor