How do I know God loves me?

It's too easy to say:

For God so loved the world,
He gave His only begotten Son...

Because that's how I know He loves the world.
How do I know He loves me?

I used to sing: "Jesus loves me this I know
for the Bible tells me so"
but dose it really and where?

Well, David said:
"God places the lonely in families'
he sets the prisoners free
and gives them joy."

Isaiah prophesied:
Fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

And in Romans Paul said:
But God shows his love for us in that while we
were still sinners, Christ died for us.

These are all really good words,
but there was a time when
I didn't know they were true,
I only hoped they were true,
I wished they were true,
I dreamed they were true,

until I asked God to come live in my heart,
and then I felt His love.
He taught me His love.
And He changed me
and gave me His love for others.

Jesus said: Behold, I stand at the door and knock...
(He desires us to open the door and let him in.)

If a person didn't believe in God,
what a great test!
Nothing would happen.
Or everything would happen.
You see God takes our hope,
He takes our wishing,
and longing,
and gives us so much more than we had imagined
or asked for!

We get more than our sins forgiven
(and that is big!)
We get more than our eternity to spend in Heaven
(and that is incalculable)
We get to live with God now!
We get to have Him as a part of our life now!
We get to enjoy His love now!

He comes in when we invite Him,
and He forgives and cleanses and teaches us
and He gives us His love,
and imparts His love for others into our heart.

Now our past leaves our mind riddled
with the voice of family, "friends" and teachers
who have crushed our self esteem,
and we may still hear those voices.

They may try and discredit the Voice of God
that whispers His love to us.
But as we read His Word (the Bible)
and hang out with other believers,
we learn to hear and distinguish God's Voice.

We get to experience a new identity
(one that is being transformed daily into the image of Christ).

And then we get to know
His great love for us
more each day,
until One day,
when we see Him face to face
and our faith becomes sight
and we get to spend all time,
together with the Lover of our soul.
God Himself.