In the Bible, it is reported that Daniel, a descendant of the royal family of David, was one of the young men that King Nebuchadnezzar took captive to Babylon. Daniel is included in those known as the “major prophets,” and is beloved by Bible readers of all eras. And not only by them, but three times he received an angel message that assured him that God loved him, too. On one of those occasions, he heard these words: “You are greatly beloved” (Daniel 9:23, New King James Version). Some of those messages came to him in moments when Daniel may have considered himself unworthy of God’s love.
Daniel’s experience makes me think that we all want to be loved with a love that is reliable and constant—an unwavering love. The good news is that, like Daniel, we are already loved with infinite love—a love that emanates from Love, God. This love is permanent and cannot be restricted by time or space.
I was able to realize this one day when my husband and I were traveling through the countryside. Suddenly, the beauty of the landscape dazzled me. I am used to the gentle elevations of the city where I live. So the streams flowing from the top of the road were quite a spectacle. I saw flocks of white sheep grazing over emerald valleys in the autumn sun and small houses, like children’s toys, in the distance. It was truly a panorama of light and color, and for a moment, my eyes filled with tears. I thanked God for what I was able to see of nature’s beauty. It was like catching a hint of His greatness and of His love for His own, a hint of something spiritual and eternal. We continued the trip, and throughout the journey I kept thinking of what I had seen.
