“I in them, and Thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved me.” - John 17:23 

    This is a magnificent declaration of the marvelous love of the Father for the Son as well as His love for His chosen people. In the same way and to the same extent that the Father loved His everlasting Son, who was worthy of that love, so He loves us who are His adopted children, though we are unworthy of that love. How long has the Father loved the Son? He has loved Him eternally. How long has the Father loved His children? As the Lord said to His prophet, so He says to all of His people. “I have loved thee with an everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31:3). What is the evidence that the Father loves His Son and that He loves us as His children? The Father has given all things into His hand; even so, He gave us Christ and in Him He has freely given us all things (Romans 8:32).