AL 1:2{How different these words are from what we should have expected! We should have expected God to say, "I will love you, if you will love Me." But, no! He says, "I have loved you." Yes, He has loved you already, poor, restless heart, that wants to be loved! He loves you now, and will love you always. But you say, "I wish I knew whether He loves me!" Why, He tells you so; and what could He say more? There it stands—"I have loved you, saith the Lord." It is true, and you need only believe it, and be glad of it, and tell Him how glad you are that He loves you. "God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." He says nothing about good people, but tells you that He loved you so much, while you were sinful, that He sent the Lord Jesus, His own Son to die for you. Could He do more than that? He says in the same verse (Mal. 1:22I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the Lord: yet I loved Jacob, (Malachi 1:2)), "Yet ye say, Wherein hast Thou loved us?" Wherein? Oh herein! not that you loved God, but that He loved you, and sent His Son to suffer instead of you. Think how many answers you can find to that question, "Wherein hast Thou loved us?" See how many proofs of His love you can count up; and then rest on this soft, safe pillow, "I have loved you, saith the Lord.”
Thou art Mine! oh, therefore fear not! Mine forever now;
And the flame shall never kindle on thy sealed brow.
Thou art precious, therefore fear not, precious unto Me!
I have made thee for My glory, I have loved thee.