“My dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the crevices of the cliffs, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely” (Song of Sol. 2:14).

When we’re afraid of love, we believe that rejection is inevitable. Even in the best relationships, we hold our breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop: surely, the other person will come to his or her senses and leave — unless we leave first. “Reject them before they reject you!” is our motto.

If we’re not careful, we’ll respond the same way regarding our relationship with God. We might not turn our backs on Him completely or renounce our faith, but we’ll keep our distance and build self-protective walls.

The good news is that, no matter how disagreeable we are, we can’t push God away like we push our fellow human beings away. He can’t be persuaded to throw up His hands and give up on us. He might discipline us or allow us to come face to face with the consequences of poor choices, but He’ll never stop loving us.

Reflect for a moment on your own child or some other young person whom you love dearly. Can you think of one thing that would cause you to stop loving him or her? How much greater is our Father’s love for us?

Today, if you’re convinced that God will eventually “wise up” and reject you, determine to take Him at His word when He says that “your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.”