A Note From Pastor Rick

Dear Friend,

Did you know that God delights in you? You don’t have to do anything to earn that delight. He loves and enjoys you just because he created you. The Bible says, “Thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11 KJV).

When my children were small, I sometimes watched them sleep. As I saw their chests rise and fall, I felt so much love and joy. They didn’t need to do anything special; I found joy simply from being their father. That’s the way your heavenly Father is toward you. God loves you simply because he made you.

Maybe you think God smiles on you only when you’re doing something “spiritual.” But here’s the truth: Because God created you, he gets pleasure out of just watching you be you.

The Bible says that “God is love” (1 John 4:16 NLT). Love is his nature. And because you’re made in God’s image, you can love God in return.

In the Living Bible paraphrase, God says, “I don’t want your sacrifices—I want your love; I don’t want your offerings—I want you to know me” (Hosea 6:6 TLB). Can you sense the passion in this verse? It ultimately doesn’t matter how many achievements you rack up—or how many failures you experience. The most important thing you can know is that God loves you. And the most important thing you can do is to love him back.

I’m grateful that you and I get to grow together in God’s love through Daily Hope. If Daily Hope has helped you love God more, I’d like to hear your story. Just drop me a line at Rick@PastorRick.com.

You’re a blessing to me!