So, if you're a Christian, you've probably heard that God's love is unconditional. I grew up in a Christian family so I've heard it many, many times but, what does it really mean? I've been thinking about it a lot lately and I totally don't get it. Am I the only one? When I try to wrap my head around it I'm like, wait, I don't have to do anything? I'm just loved? Let me tell you, I can be super un-loveable sometimes. I curse people out when they're driving like idiots, I show up late to basically every appointment I make, I put my needs before others (too often), and this is even after I've had my morning coffee (Niki without coffee is a whole other monster). These are things that, in a dating relationship, may be considered "deal-breakers" (I have many more "deal-breakers" then the aforementioned so date me if ya really want to know them all) (just kidding). But, isn't it funny that we as humans have all these stipulations on how we love and yet our example of love is just the opposite. Jesus has no "deal-breakers," he just loves, forever and always.
Some people bring out the Old Testament and say "Oh, God is mean and judgmental, he doesn't love unconditionally, blah, blah, blah." I think we confuse happiness with love. Love does not mean butterflies and rainbows, it means someone who fights for us when we can't, someone who sees our sin and doesn't abandon us, someone who keeps us from hurting ourselves. Love hurts but that doesn't mean it's not love. Actually I think if it hurts, it means it's real. The only thing that matters is how we react to this love. I've come up with two reasons as to why people reject God's love, either they don't believe in God or they do believe in God but don't believe they are worthy of his love. Now, no one is worthy of His love, we all equally suck and don't deserve it but, that still doesn't change the fact that he loves us. "This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins" 1 John 4:10. Therefore we didn't do anything to receive his love and so we cannot do anything to loose it, it just is, like death and taxes, God's love is unavoidable. With that being said, why don't we act loved? People, women in particular, love to nit-pick at the parts of ourselves we have deemed un-loveable. It is so sad. I don't want to sound like one of those "name it, claim it," Christians but why the heck are we not declaring this to ourselves?! We are loved by a God who created us to be loved by him so lets stop living for acceptance and love but rather live out of acceptance and love.
Jesus, I pray that you would speak love into our hearts. Have mercy on our humanness that cannot comprehend your love and thank you for loving us despite it all.
Some people bring out the Old Testament and say "Oh, God is mean and judgmental, he doesn't love unconditionally, blah, blah, blah." I think we confuse happiness with love. Love does not mean butterflies and rainbows, it means someone who fights for us when we can't, someone who sees our sin and doesn't abandon us, someone who keeps us from hurting ourselves. Love hurts but that doesn't mean it's not love. Actually I think if it hurts, it means it's real. The only thing that matters is how we react to this love. I've come up with two reasons as to why people reject God's love, either they don't believe in God or they do believe in God but don't believe they are worthy of his love. Now, no one is worthy of His love, we all equally suck and don't deserve it but, that still doesn't change the fact that he loves us. "This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins" 1 John 4:10. Therefore we didn't do anything to receive his love and so we cannot do anything to loose it, it just is, like death and taxes, God's love is unavoidable. With that being said, why don't we act loved? People, women in particular, love to nit-pick at the parts of ourselves we have deemed un-loveable. It is so sad. I don't want to sound like one of those "name it, claim it," Christians but why the heck are we not declaring this to ourselves?! We are loved by a God who created us to be loved by him so lets stop living for acceptance and love but rather live out of acceptance and love.
Jesus, I pray that you would speak love into our hearts. Have mercy on our humanness that cannot comprehend your love and thank you for loving us despite it all.