Liked

I remember, some years ago, being convinced that a certain woman (let's call her Delia) disliked me -
I went through a process of: 'impression', 'assumption', 'fixed idea' which speedily became 'fact' to me.

I remember well how I reacted.
I felt so awkward around her that it was impossible to be natural.
So it was easier just to stay away
I convinced myself eventually that I didn't like her.

This situation persisted for quite a while.
Then someone told me that this woman had said she liked me.
After the initail "Say WHAT!?"
My attitude towards her underwent an immediate amazing change.

As soon as I knew I was liked, I realised that my attitude towards her was just a defensive mechanism
Which I didn't need anymore.
And I found that I did like her after all.
And I was free to be myself.
We became good friends.
But for that "chance remark" that exposed the faulty assumption, that friendship would never have happened.
Knowing that you are liked and accepted opens you up to relationship.

The spiritual parallel goes something like this:

Religion, which basically says:
"You are rotten; God doesn't like you anywhere near Him; you have to clean up your act" actually makes people want to keep as far away from Him as possible, telling themselves they don't like Him anyway.
As I did with Delia.

He knows we need to be sure He loves us before we can come willingly to Him;
before we can be ourselves with Him;
before we can entrust ourselves to Him.
He tells us in so many ways that He loves us; and proves it finally by the unthinkable price He paid to have us back - the life of His Son, Jesus.
This is His way of telling us how much He treasures us.

His liking for us; approval of us, gives us a wide kingdom of freedom in which to know Him; grow in Him; learn from Him and love Him back.