When you think of God's love, what comes to mind? If you're anything like the majority of us, you think of warm feelings and fond affections. That's not how God loves; that's how we love.
God's love is nothing like ours. When we think of love, we think of it as a noun, a thing, a feeling. Our love waxes and wanes like the tide, shrinking and swelling according to the loved one's behavior toward us.

Notice this verse: "Yet the LORD set his affection on your ancestors and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations--as it is today." - Dueteronomy 10:15

The Lord "set his affection" on his people. In God's economy, love is a verb, an action. He loves with a joy-filled determination that has nothing--nothing--to do with how the loved one behaves or whether or not they love him back. Our love is unstable, God's love is steadfast, stubbornly refusing to back down. He pursues to the end, patiently, persistently, passionately.


Why is this good news? Because there is nothing about you and me that makes us lovable to God. There was nothing about Israel that would cause God to choose them. God didn't choose Israel because of what they did, he chose them in spite of what they did. God didn't set his affection on them because of who they were, he set his affection on them in spite of who they were.

In the same way, friend, God didn't choose you because of what you do, or did, or are doing, he chose you in spite of what you do. God doesn't love you because of who you are, he loves you in spite of who you are.