“God helps those who help themselves.” I heard this often as a child. Many people quoted it as if it was a Bible verse; and if it wasn’t, they thought it should be.
This quote is not a Bible verse; in fact, the scriptures reveal how God always makes the first move.
He loved us before we loved Him.
“We ourselves love now because he loved us first.” 1 John 4:19 (CJB)
He chose us before we chose Him.
“You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.” John 15:16 (NLT)
He saw us and recorded every day of our lives before we were born.
“You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” Psalm 139:15, 16 ((NLT)
Before He even created the world, God loved us, chose us, and decided to adopt us. How is that for thinking ahead!
“Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” Ephesians 1:4, 5 (NLT)
We have a part in our relationship with God; but when it comes to going first, God is the One Who always makes the first move.