How much does G-d Love us? Did you ever ask yourself that question? Many people feel that G-d no longer loves them because of the many sins they have committed, yet the Torah has a totally different opinion on this.

The beginning of Parashas Masei
seems to unnecessarily recount all the travels of the Jewish people throughout their forty years in the desert. The Midrash Rabbah explains why this accounting is so important. (Rashi brings the Midrash Tanchuma)

This is like the case of a king whose son was ill and he took him to certain place to cure him. On their return journey his father began to recount all the stages, saying: ˜Here we slept; here we cooled ourselves; here you had a headache.' So the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: ˜Recount to them all the places where they provoked Me.'

This is unbelievable! Hashem wants Moses to recount all the places where we provoked Him!? Most fathers would rather forget the places where their children had such chutzpa. We see from here that Hashem has such a tremendous love for us that He even views our most serious and willful sins as a temporary illness which only needs to be healed.

A person should never become despondent and hopeless feeling he has no hope of returning to G-d's service. Hashem truly loves us and is earnestly waiting for our return. Here is what the righteous Rabbi Yona Gerundi wrote in his famous letter "The Foundation of Return" on the subject.

On the day that you want to return you should throw off all the sins which you have committed and imagine that you are newly born today, without merit or guilt. Today is a new start for all your deeds. Today you should weigh all your actions, so that your path should not turn from the proper way.

This path will lead you to total return, for you will imagine yourself as having thrown off the burden of intentional sins and the power of the unintentional sins which you did. Your thoughts will not confuse you, preventing you from returning by being ashamed of your sins and thinking, "How can I have the audacity to return when I sinned and transgressed and did evil? I did this and I did that! I sinned once, twice, countless times and how can I stand before G-d? For like the shame of a thief caught red handed, I am mortified to stand before Him. How can I tread in His courts and guard His laws?"

You should not think this! For the self defeating side of nature crouches like a stinging insect at the opening of the heart and renews its attack every day, scouting and scrutinizing for ways to make you stumble and to pull your heart after bad counsel. Rather, you should realize the quality of the blessed Creator, "His hand is outstretched to receive those who want to return." Therefore, it is worthwhile to throw off your sins and create for yourself a new heart.

Based on words of Rav Henach Leibowitz