Do you ever get annoyed with the way we toss around the word “love” these days? I mean, we just love so many things. We love our cars, we love a cute pair of shoes, we love an ice cream sundae (who wouldn’t?), and we love our sports teams and so forth. We throw the word around so much that it seems to have lost some of its luster or its ability to move us.
But it’s not just the overuse of the word “love” that has minimized the impact. We seem to give and retract our love all too quickly. Take any of the above examples. We love our cars until they get old or break down; our shoes until we see some newer ones; a hot fudge sundae until it lands on our hips or waistline; our sport teams, if and only if they win. This is what we call conditional love. It is clearly the most common variety and you get it most anywhere these days, at least for a while.
But such a love leaves us wanting more, doesn’t it? We wish for something deeper and more profound. We long for a love that will last, not just for a few days, weeks, months, or seasons, but for a lifetime. We long for what we call unconditional love. This kind of love is quite hard to find these days, even if we are looking; and the truth is we were made for love, not only to receive it, but also to give it. The very core of our being was wired to crave love, to need a love that doesn’t depend upon on how we have performed or how we are acting at the moment. As the song goes: What the world needs now… is love, sweet love…It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of.
As born again believers, we are to give and to receive a love that won’t let go, a love that will last forever.
But how do we do this? How can we give unconditional love when others don’t act very lovable, especially when we may feel like we are the ones who ought to be loved? In short, we love like Jesus loves…without conditions. Scripture teaches that we are to let the Giver of love give His love through us. Remember, Jesus died for us, to give His life to us, to live His life through us. That is the gospel truth, and His life in us is a life of love, and this much we know for sure, Jesus’ love never fails.
LIFE LESSON: Jesus said, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” (John 13:35) By receiving His love that comes without conditions, we simply become a channel, an instrument of God’s love to flow through us to those around us in need of this same love. Jesus’ unconditional love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres and again never fails. The Apostle John wrote: “My beloved friends, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” (I John 4:7)
And all God’s people say Amen!
We appreciate your continued prayer and financial support. Thank you for your faithfulness.
Growing in His Grace