The old hymn by Robert Harkness entitled “Why Should He Love Me So?” was sung to me by my parents as far back as I can recall. In my old age, I think I finally know. Before sharing the answer, here are the lyrics to this wonderful hymn:

‘

Why should He love me so?

Meekly to Calvary’s cross He was led;

Why should He love me so?

Refrain:

Why should He love me so?

Why should He love me so?

Why should my Savior to Calvary go?

Why should He love me so?

2 Nails pierced His hands and His feet for my sin;

Why should He love me so?

He suffered sore my salvation to win:

Why should He love me so? [Refrain]

3 O how He agonized there in my place;

Why should He love me so?

Nothing withholding my sin to efface;

Why should He love me so? [Refrain]

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The answer: The answer has to do with why God made us and the dilemma it presented Him. I believe God made us for the purpose of having a mutual loving relationship with each one of us. For that to be possible, He had to give us free will so that when we loved Him back, it was not forced (like robots). It had to be voluntary on our part to be meaningful to God. But God could foresee that if He gave us free will, we would all end up sinning – doing what we wanted rather than what we ought. God, being perfectly righteous and holy, cannot stand sin, cannot even “look upon sin” and the sin of each one would prevent the loving relationship he desired (the dilemma). God’s solution was an amazing act of self-sacrificing love. It was the Cross. Jesus (God the Son) was willing to suffer beyond measure and die so the obstacle of sin could be removed from separating each one of us with God. That’s how much He wants the loving relationship with each person. That’s how important and valuable each of us is to our Creator. That’s why He loves us so!

Do you have that mutual loving relationship with God or is sin still an obstacle? Though Jesus paid for all our sins on the Cross and offers a full pardon and forgiveness as a gift to each of us, each still has to accept the gift. How? By admitting to God your sins in an attitude of repentance and trusting in what Jesus did on the Cross to pay for them. When you do that, God wipes your slate clean and views you as 100% righteous allowing Him and you to have the loving relationship He made you for. God did His part on the Cross. Repent and believe and enjoy peace with God in an ongoing, loving relationship.