²⁷You complained in your tents and said, ‘The Lord must hate us. That’s why he has brought us here from Egypt—to hand us over to the Amorites to be slaughtered.

Deuteronomy 1:27

Have you ever felt that way? Life is difficult; everything seems to be going against you from bad to worse? In frustration, you look to the heavens asking, “Do you hate me?”

I get it. I admit I wandered down that path a bit at times. When it seems like everything is falling in around me, it’s human to wonder if I heard correctly. Was I really supposed to take this path?

It’s especially important at that moment to recall what is true. Listen to how the Lord really felt about Israel…

⁷“The Lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! ⁸Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors.

Deuteronomy 7:7-8

The truth is that God chose Israel, not because they had something to offer him, but because he loved them and he’s a promise keeping God. No matter what you might be experiencing, how you might be feeling, how desperate you have become — God loves you. It isn’t because you are clever or intelligent or well-known or anything else. He simply chose you because he loves you.

On top of that he is a promise keeper. When he said he will never leave you, he means it. When he said he will come for you again, he means it. When he said nothing can separate you from his love, he means it. His promises — you can count on them.

This song by Jason Gray has been speaking to my heart the last couple of weeks. Maybe you need to hear it today too!