God created us because he loves us and every move he makes is to move us to love Him back.

​Today, Goff uses the bible story of Jacob and Esau to make the point that God's primary motivation is to move us toward him.

You may know the story. Jacob stole his brother Esau's inheritance. Then he ran away and started a new life. He settled far away from Esau, started a family and life was good.

But then one day he had to pack up his family and move and go through the land where Esau was now living. Ahead of the move, Jacob showered his brother with gifts, hoping to soften the inevitable confrontation when they'd cross paths.

But before Jacob could ever get to Esau, Esau showed up to Jacob. And Esau ran and gave Jacob a big hug. He just wanted his brother back.

I think I forget that somedays. That in this complex relationship with the world and God and my faith - what God wants is pretty simple. He wants me to love him back.

If anyone has ever lost someone they love - you get it. Whether someone you love has passed away or walked away, you know how much you think about having them back in your life. You know you'd do anything, not to manipulate or motivate, but to move them back to you.

Well that's God.

God created us because he loves us and every move he makes is to move us to love Him back. But, from the beginning, whether intentional or thoughtlessly, we often fail to come through. We do things or love other things in the world so much that God can be left wondering, does he really love me back.

There are times I've felt like God is tricking me or motivating me to do things for others. I've found myself in situations and interactions, crossing paths with people in times and spaces that felt like none of my own doing. Only to find in the aftermath of responding to those moments with love - I felt closer to God.

That's because God feels most loved back when we are loving others. And by moving us to love others, by putting us in the best spots to do just that, God is moving us to love him back.

God doesn't motivate or inspire. He moves us. And he wants that move to be toward him.