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Did you ever take a flower, when you were young, and while pulling its petals, recite: He loves me, he loves me not, He loves me, he loves me not. Sometimes, it seems like God loves us and some-times we're not so sure. If things are going well, it appears that God loves me. But if things go wrong, I must have sinned or displeased the Lord, so He no longer loves me.

Does God really love you? What do you have to do so that he will love you? Let's look at some Scriptures that show the nature of God's love for you.

God demonstrated His love for us by creating you to be like Him. Genesis 1:26-7 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…So God created man in His own image. God could have not created us, or he could have created us as much lesser beings, without souls, without the ability to think or love.

He also showed his love for you by creating the earth and the universe; and how perfect they are. Consider the properties of the sun, alone: the perfect distance from the earth, a perfect size and density to provide the correct amount of gravity to keep us in orbit, with the energy to combine with the chlorophyll in green plants to manufacture food-the whole process is incredible.

He made you an eternal being. Imagine if it were true, as some believe, that your life ends at death. As it is, you get to live eternally-the only question that remains is where you will live.

He also gave you a free will. He could have made you little more than a robot, programmed to worship him. Instead, you have a choice to worship him.

How else does God show that he loves you? He gave his son as a ransom for you. John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. That's love! In John 15:13, Jesus gave us his point of view on his sacrifice for us: Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. Though we tend to return affection based on the actions of others, God's love is unconditional. There's nothing you can do to get it and nothing you can do to avoid it. The Apostle John testified that God is love.

Another way God proves that He loves you is by making you a part of His family: 1 John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! You are a prince or a princess! Your Dad is King-King of the world-the King of kings. He's the strongest, smartest, most loving Father in the whole world! God has established a relationship with you- you are His child. Isaiah 49:15 "Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely she may forget, yet I will not forget you.

That brings up the next way that God shows you His love. He has given you free access to his throne. You can have an audience with the King whenever you want. You don't have to be good to qualify, like you do with Santa Claus. You don't have to go through an appointments agent, like some earthly king. You don't have to beg, as though he doesn't want to spend time with you. You don't have to wait your turn, just because there are so many of us.

He gave you the Bible, 2 Timothy 3: 16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable. In one book, God provided you with the history of mankind, the nature of God and man, God's law, the wisdom of God, instructions on how to worship God, the plan of salvation, and the future of the world and mankind.

He has also blessed you by giving you the Church-fellow Christians, a place to worship, a place to be edified and receive the Word. He gave you the Universal church-all Christians, everywhere, past, present, and future. In Acts 20:28, Paul is exhorting the elders, and notice the last clause. Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. That's what it cost Him. Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,

He gave you your natural family: Psalms 127:4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. 5 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them. Genesis 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Psalms 68:6 God sets the solitary in families. God has blessed you with your family.

Finally, an example of the way God loves you, is that He loves you, personally. Isaiah 49:16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands… Jeremiah 31:3 "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love…

God has demonstrated his love so many ways. How should you respond to such love? How can you love the Lord in return? 1 John 4:19 says that, We love Him because He first loved us.

How can you respond to God's love in creating you in his image? You can be like him. Galatians 5 lists how. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. If you the fruit of the Spirit, you will honor the Lord by living and being as he designed you.

How can you respond to God's creation of the earth? You can develop it, or as Genesis says, "subdue it." 1:6 let [man] have dominion over the fish of the sea, etc. verse 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it..." Some would have us do away with automobiles, leave the earth to the animals, and live primitively, ourselves. However, God has given you dominion- you ought to exercise it with responsibility.

What about the love he showed you by making us eternal beings? How should you express your appreciation? You should make sure that you live eternally with him. You do have a choice. You could live eternally without him in hell.

He gave you a free will, to choose who you will worship. Choose to worship him. You're made to worship something or someone. Worship the most loving person in the world, the one who created you, not some substitute.

He gave his son as a ransom for you, line'>and while we were still sinners, the Bible says, Christ died for us. How should you show your appreciation? First, you should accept the incredible gift of eternal life. You should repent of your sin and ask God's forgiveness. Secondly, to the man healed of a sickness of 38 years, Jesus said, [in John 5:14,] See, you have been made well. Sin no more. You should separate yourselves from sin, and endeavor not to sin. With each temptation, you have a choice-to resist or yield. Each time you yield, it gets easier to sin. Each time you resist, you become stronger and more able to resist temptation.

In response to God making you a part of His family and giving you free access to His throne, you need to meet with him regularly. I Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing-always have God on your mind and include Him in your decision-making. Psalms 95:2 Let us come before His presence-with thanksgiving... Psalms 100:2 Serve the LORD with gladness; come before His presence with singing.

What a shame it would be to ignore the wide-open arms of God, and go your way, daily, without conversing with him.

What should you do about the gift of the Bible? You should read it, believe it, memorize it, and meditate on it. What a meaningful book this is. If you would spend as much time reading the Bible as you do other literature, how different you would be. Your knowledge of God's will would increase, and you would not be led astray by strange doctrines. Your faith would increase dramatically and how your life would change.

What should you do about the gift of the Church? Attend it, bless it, nurture it. Hebrews 10:25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some…

When you come together and worship the Lord with all your hearts, you build each other up as you bless the Lord. When you pray together, your faith is increased and you see God do more. When you hear the preaching of the Word, your understanding is opened, and your commitment to the Lord is increased.

He gave you your family. Sometimes we take it for granted. Those, who have lost loved ones, know you can't do that. What should you do with this gift of the family? Love it, communicate with each one. Ephesians 5:28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.

Ephesians 6:4 And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. You may be past the age of training your children, but they are always your sons and daughters. You now have the opportunity to relate to them as adults, as friends. You may even lean on them in some areas. Perhaps there has been some strain in your relationship with them. Don't let another day go by without patching it up. Is there something you can ask forgiveness for? Can you tell them you're proud of who they have become or what they have accomplished?

Finally, what can you do about the fact that He loves you? You can love him back. 1 John 4:19 says that, We love Him because He first loved us.

Another way is found in 1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And what are His commandments? To love the Lord with all your heart and soul, mind and strength, and to love our neighbor as yourself. 1 John 3:23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ (and love one another, as He gave us commandment). God has demonstrated his love in so many ways. I'd like to tell you a story that illustrates His great love.

A Christian worker among the poor in London was a true inspiration to a man observing her. When he asked what had inspired her Christian faith, she told him her story.

As a young Jew in France during World War II, she had fled the German Gestapo. She knew she was close to being caught after she found refuge in the home of a French Huguenot. Another woman, a Christian, soon arrived telling her that she must flee immediately to a new place. The Jewish girl replied, "It's no use; they are too close behind." The Christian said, "Yes, they will find someone here, but go to this place of safety. I will take your identification papers."

The Jewish woman understood her plan: The Gestapo would think the Christian was the fleeing Jew and have to pay the price. She asked, "Why are you doing this?" To which the Christian responded, "It's the least I can do. Christ has already done the same for me." Sure enough, the Christian was imprisoned in the Jewish girl's place, and within six months, died. Such is the great love God has for you. It's overwhelming. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. To know that he loves you, is to understand the true nature of God.