Editor’s note: “The Spoken Word” is shared by Derrick Porter each Sunday during the weekly Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square broadcast. This will be given Sunday, July 19, 2026. This week is No. 5,053 of the broadcast.
Please note: Reservations are needed to attend “Music & the Spoken Word” in the Salt Lake Tabernacle. Find out more about how to make reservations here.
Not long ago, my wife and I were traveling in another country. As we drove, we passed a sign that read “Dios de Amor” — “God of love.”
Later that day, we joined a small gathering of people and witnessed their humble expressions of faith. As they sang, spoke and interacted, we couldn’t help but notice their exceeding joy. My thoughts returned to that simple phrase, “Dios de Amor.”
God is love. He is our Father in Heaven, and we are His children. Because of this truth, each of us — individually and collectively — matters so very much. Our Eternal Father loves us beyond expression. Our souls are precious to Him. We are His family.
Because God loves us, not only does He want us to be happy, but He also allows hard things to come into our lives. Sometimes these are the consequences of our own actions. At times, they come because of the choices of others. And at other times — simply because of mortality — bad things happen, even to good people.
It may seem surprising that God would allow difficult things to happen in our lives. When these things occur, sometimes our immediate reaction is to think that God is punishing us or that He isn’t really there. But even when we don’t fully understand why, we can trust that God — in His perfect wisdom — uses all things for our good (see Doctrine and Covenants 122:7). He knows that growth comes not only from sunshine but also from rain.
In our trying moments, God is aware of our struggles — and, in ways we may not fully understand, shares in our sorrow. Regardless of the trial or how far we may feel from Him, He is always there, ready to be called upon — ready to bless, to strengthen, to heal.
The apostle Paul — no stranger to hardship — declared, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, … nor height, nor depth, nor any … creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God” (Romans 8:38-39).
The expansive nature of God’s love encompasses every challenge we face, reaching into every human experience and emotion. His love is measureless, unbreakable, everlasting, active and deeply personal. It is a perfect love.
Dios de amor. God of love. His love is greater than all the sorrow and tragedy on this earth combined. His love overflows. His love is endless.
Tuning in …
The “Music & the Spoken Word” broadcast is available on KSL-TV, KSL News Radio 1160AM/102.7FM, KSL.com, BYUtv, BYUradio, Dish and DirecTV, SiriusXM (Ch. 143), tabernaclechoir.org, youtube.com/TheTabernacleChoir and Amazon Alexa (must enable skill). The program is aired live on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. Mountain Time on these outlets. Look up broadcast information by state and city at musicandthespokenword.com/viewers-listeners/airing-schedules.
