Donald Macleod’s exposition of the love of God is lucid and worshipful. He first remarks that treating God’s love as a “mere sub-division of His goodness” does not do justice “to its importance in biblical revelation.” Macleod affirms that love is God’s “innermost nature.” “He not simply has love or exercises love. It is His very form that He looks on the things of others (Philippians 2:4f.) and it is in this above all that He stands forth not as an abstraction but as a person, confronting others in the offer of fellowship (1 John 1:3).”
The Bible’s revelation of a loving God – who created Adam and Eve in His image out of love and delight, who promised a conqueror-redeemer after they sinned (Genesis 3:15), who gives good gifts despite human rebellion and wickedness (Genesis 8:20-22; Matthew 5:43-48; Acts 17:25), who died as Jesus on the cross for His people (Matthew 1:21) – is also a revelation that we sinners are highly valued. In fact, writes Macleod, “we matter immensely.”
Before this true God, our lives are not meaningless. Before this God-man Jesus, our pains and losses have a point – He makes all things to work for the good of His people, to those who love Him and are called according to His gracious purpose.
Before this loving God of the Bible, we can sing, play and dance.
Grace for Glory 