[B]ehold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)

In a world of broken relationships and unrequited love, where animosity, mistrust and hatred so often reign, God is love. Before creation, after creation and in creation, God loved, loves and will love. What a relief, what a hope! God in His essence is love (1 John 4:8).

But who does God love? His love cannot depend on having us humans to love; before creation God was complete in Himself. He is perfect—always was and always will be. The concept that He is love, if indeed it is an eternal attribute, requires a Trinitarian understanding of God—or that there are at least two persons of the Godhead. Why is this? Love requires an object of like kind. And if God was complete in Himself, without any lack, then before creation He must have had an object of His affections. Further, it would seem that for God to be pure love, the object of His love must be something greater than His creation. For a potter to love the pottery he created by his own hand is not the same as a potter loving his wife. Perfect love requires an object of like kind.

In Christ we find the perfect object of God’s love. God makes this clear during Jesus’ tenure on earth. Yet this love the Father had for His Son didn’t begin there. We find the first mention of this eternal love affair in the book of Psalms:

“I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You’” (Ps 2:7).

Further, He delights in His Son:

“Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations. (Is 42:1).

The Father then shows His love to His Son by populating the Son’s kingdom with us, His image bearers:

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col 1:13).

Because of the Father’s eternal and passionate love for His Son, we who are saved are the eternal beneficiaries, for we have been brought into the love circle of the Godhead. Indeed, that is our hope! That is real love!

Lord, I am privileged to experience Your love because You first loved Your Son.