Recently, we have jumped back into the adventure of foster care. Each time we have taken in a child, I have felt God plunge me deeper into His love. I want to share some of what He’s been encouraging me with lately.

I’ve been thinking about various types, or experiences, of “love”. Here’s how I’ve summarized my thoughts. The first 4 experiences are written from my own first person perspective. The last one is written from God’s perspective, and I will italicize it as a reminder. (Disclaimer: This is not an exhaustive list–for instance, I did not include friendship love!)

The “Connection” Type of Love
I like you. You are fun, exciting & give me butterfly feelings. I am infatuated with you.

Marital Love
I have chosen to spend my life with you. [Partially because I vetted you & you are pretty amazing & I could see us together forever.] In sickness & in health, I will be here choosing you to be my lover and my best friend.

Parental Love
I have no clue who you will grow up to be, but I will always love and care for you. I will not abandon you. I will be your biggest fan.

Love for Non-biological Children in My Care
You arrived in my life so fast that I have to practice your name over & over to remember it. I don’t know anything about your history–medical, family or otherwise. I have no clue how long you will be here. But for as long as you are here, I will love you.

God’s Love
“I know ALL the ways you will refuse me, reject me, run from me. I know ALL the lies you will believe instead of my words. I know ALL the ways you will blame me, doubt me, and ignore me. I fully know your heart and your thoughts. ALL of your thoughts. Past, present, future.

But I choose you. Actually, I chose you before I made the world. I formed you, beautifully. You will be mine and I will be yours. Yes, you are deeply flawed. You are not designed for perfection. You are designed for me. You are adopted.

Through Christ’s perfect life and His punishment for YOUR sin–your flaws, your shame, your insistence to do things your own way–you are forgive. You are alive.

So, let’s run, let’s jump, let’s dance. I am making ALL things new. Come with me.“

The scripture passages that inspired this post are below.

1 John 3:1
“See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children—and we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know him.”

Ephesians 1: 1-14
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will:

To the faithful saints in Christ Jesus at Ephesus.

² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. ⁴ For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. ⁵ He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.

⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace ⁸ that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding. ⁹ He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ ¹⁰ as a plan for the right time—to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him.

¹¹ In him we have also received an inheritance, because we were predestined according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will, ¹² so that we who had already put our hope in Christ might bring praise to his glory.

¹³ In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. ¹⁴ The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.

Isaiah 53
Who has believed what we have heard?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
² He grew up before him like a young plant
and like a root out of dry ground.
He didn’t have an impressive form
or majesty that we should look at him,
no appearance that we should desire him.
³ He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of suffering who knew what sickness was.
He was like someone people turned away from;
he was despised, and we didn’t value him.

⁴ Yet he himself bore our sicknesses,
and he carried our pains;
but we in turn regarded him stricken,
struck down by God, and afflicted.
⁵ But he was pierced because of our rebellion,
crushed because of our iniquities;
punishment for our peace was on him,
and we are healed by his wounds.
⁶ We all went astray like sheep;
we all have turned to our own way;
and the Lord has punished him
for^[c] the iniquity of us all.

⁷ He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth.
Like a lamb led to the slaughter
and like a sheep silent before her shearers,
he did not open his mouth.
⁸ He was taken away because of oppression and judgment,
and who considered his fate?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
he was struck because of my people’s rebellion.
⁹ He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
but he was with a rich man at his death,
because he had done no violence
and had not spoken deceitfully.

¹⁰ Yet the Lord was pleased to crush him severely.
When you make him a guilt offering,
he will see his seed, he will prolong his days,
and by his hand, the Lord’s pleasure will be accomplished.
¹¹ After his anguish,
he will see light and be satisfied.
By his knowledge,
my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will carry their iniquities.
¹² Therefore I will give him the many as a portion,
and he will receive the mighty as spoil,
because he willingly submitted to death,
and was counted among the rebels;
yet he bore the sin of many
and interceded for the rebels.

Revelation 21:3-5
Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. ⁴ He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.

⁵ Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words are faithful and true.”