In "Doctrinal Discussion" Randy Bland asks the question, "What motivates God?" Why does God love us so much? He then writes:
Yet, for love to be real, there must always be the possibility of pain and rejection. God made Himself vulnerable in order to live in loving community with other beings, and He was rejected, first by many of the angels, and then by humanity. He continues to feel the pain of rejection up to this very moment. Most of us would run from that level of pain, but God embraced the pain through love and found a way to win many people back to Himself. That way, of course, is the cross.
Discussion: What motivates us? How does this compare to what motivates God?
Source: Jesus, The Son of God: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 7.