Category: God's love

Our Hope is Found in God’s Unfailing Love

This Christmas, may you be filled with peace as we celebrate God’s everlasting love for us.

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

1 John 1:5-10 (NIV)

God is light. God is love. And somehow, God chooses us every single day.

Though we cannot fully comprehend this reality, it remains true all the same. God’s character isn’t determined by our understanding of Him–for we are limited by human constraints. God will always be holy and worthy of our praise.

It is through recognizing our blind spots, our lack of understanding, and our utter brokenness that we discover our yearning for a Savior.

We cannot save ourselves, no matter how strong we become or how closely we follow the rules. But that is no slight against us, for out of His love, God created us to need Him.

God offers the perfect Savior–Jesus–with one simple request: submission to His love.

Submission to His love means laying down our own desires and asking what He wants from us, because His ways are better. It means pursuing a relationship with God, who is always there and will never abandon us. It even means acknowledging our imperfections while celebrating that we have the perfect Father in Heaven.

I won’t pretend that submission is easy. In fact, it requires great sacrifice and a transformed mind. But when we call out to God as we struggle to surrender our wills, He will give us the strength to keep going.

Christmas is about celebrating the everlasting love of our eternal Father. We gasp in wonder at the tremendous sacrifice God made by sending His only son, Jesus, to undergo the human experience and eventually die for our sins.

We are given new life through Jesus, who overcame death and will return for us someday. Though we will grieve the brokenness, injustice, and heartache of this world, our hope is anchored in the the only One who can redeem.

May you experience God’s abounding love for you and be made whole through Him. He will never forsake you, His beloved child, and He is calling you close to Him today.

Merry Christmas!

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

1 John 3:1-3 (NIV)

The God of Yesterday, Today, and Forever

Let’s explore how God’s loving nature is revealed in the oldest book of the Bible.

Did you know that Job is the oldest book of the Bible? Even though Genesis covers the beginning of the world, it wasn’t written until the time of Moses.

The story of Job is quite fascinating. He begins as a “blameless and upright” man who is pleasing in the eyes of God (Job 1:1). However, he undergoes a severe trial in which he loses his wealth, children, and health.

He cries out to God and God hears him.

Though Job is blind from seeing his faults, his friends are quick to point them out. They go back and forth, until at last Elihu speaks up.

He’s the youngest, yet wisest of Job’s friends. He doesn’t condemn Job the way the other men do. However, he reminds Job of their shared humanity and how that contrasts to the holiness of God.

My words come from an upright heart;
    my lips sincerely speak what I know.
4 The Spirit of God has made me;
    the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 Answer me then, if you can;
    stand up and argue your case before me.
6 I am the same as you in God’s sight;
    I too am a piece of clay.
7 No fear of me should alarm you,
    nor should my hand be heavy on you.

8 “But you have said in my hearing—
    I heard the very words—
9 ‘I am pure, I have done no wrong;
    I am clean and free from sin.
10 Yet God has found fault with me;
    he considers me his enemy.
11 He fastens my feet in shackles;
    he keeps close watch on all my paths.’

12 “But I tell you, in this you are not right,
    for God is greater than any mortal.
13 Why do you complain to him
    that he responds to no one’s words?
14 For God does speak—now one way, now another—
    though no one perceives it.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,
    when deep sleep falls on people
    as they slumber in their beds,
16 he may speak in their ears
    and terrify them with warnings,
17 to turn them from wrongdoing
    and keep them from pride,
18 to preserve them from the pit,
    their lives from perishing by the sword.

Job 33:3-18 (NIV)

When you think about the God of the Old Testament, what words and images come to mind?

Often, this God is depicted as powerful, mighty, and even frightening. And then in the New Testament, Jesus comes along, the loving and merciful servant, who seems to contradict God the Father.

However, they are one in the same.

Consider the final verse from our previous reading from Job 32. The motive behind God speaking to His people–even “terrifying them with warnings”–is to preserve them from perishing.

God has always been motivated by His love for us.

And…God has always been holy and in control of everything.

While these two “sides of God” might be difficult to reconcile with each other, this fact should actually bring us peace.

When we place our trust in people, they will often fail us. When we place our trust in the world, it will let us down.

But God knows everything and will guide us in His love. He has no ulterior motives, and He’s the only one who is in control of our lives.

When we ask for His wisdom, He directs us to the best path possible. He knows which route will bring us closer to Him, and He will lead us there. That is the safest, most joyful place to be.

Because God is love and God is holy, we can fully trust Him.

It is unthinkable that God would do wrong,
    that the Almighty would pervert justice.
13 Who appointed him over the earth?
    Who put him in charge of the whole world?
14 If it were his intention
    and he withdrew his spirit and breath,
15 all humanity would perish together
    and mankind would return to the dust.

Job 34:12-15 (NIV)

From the beginning, God’s goal has been to have a relationship with us–His precious creation. We’ve tried to screw that up by following our own will, believing that we (with our limited understanding) actually know best.

Even in the Old Testament, God was orchestrating His plan to free us from our sins so that we can have a eternal relationship with Him.

Yet if there is an angel at their side,
    a messenger, one out of a thousand,
    sent to tell them how to be upright,
24 and he is gracious to that person and says to God,
    ‘Spare them from going down to the pit;
    I have found a ransom for them—
25 let their flesh be renewed like a child’s;
    let them be restored as in the days of their youth’—
26 then that person can pray to God and find favor with him,
    they will see God’s face and shout for joy;
    he will restore them to full well-being.
27 And they will go to others and say,
    ‘I have sinned, I have perverted what is right,
    but I did not get what I deserved.
28 God has delivered me from going down to the pit,
    and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.’

Job 33:23-28 (NIV)

The Holy Spirit is our advocate. When we pray, He intercedes for us and God grants us mercy.

God has spared us from the pit and has given us new life in Him. And no matter what happens, He will always desire a relationship with us.

Returning to Job’s story, God eventually spoke to him directly and reminded him that He is the creator of all. Job repented and received double the blessings, living his new life with a deeper reverence for God.

We are offered the same new life. Let’s celebrate that by worshipping God. Thank God for saving you and ask how He wants you to live out His calling today.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Hebrews 13:8 (NIV)

Entering New Life with Scars

What if the painful moments in life reveal Jesus in your testimony?

Last weekend, I had the privilege of photographing a family friend’s wedding. Their ceremony was beautiful, with a simple elegance to it. This couple’s story is unique because both the bride and groom have gone through tremendous hardship before finding each other later in life.

They symbolized their new life by planting a tree during the ceremony, surrounded by their kids, before being prayed over. Through the way they authentically shared the painful road they took to the alter, their wedding wasn’t just about their relationship, but how God brought beauty from brokenness.

Words cannot describe the joy and delight that filled the sanctuary when the bride and groom kissed. New life felt tangible as hope hung in the air.

After witnessing this beautiful day, God has gently reminded me that our testimonies of His faithfulness are most meaningful and transformative when we are honest about the pain and heartbreak as well as the joys and victories.

Admitting that we’ve experienced loneliness, depression, or rejection doesn’t deny God’s holiness or love. Rather, it helps us recognize our need for Him.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

I love this verse because it provides such a joyful visual of what it’s like to accept Jesus into our lives. We are truly a new creation. God has saved us from death and brought us new life.

We are offered new life because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. He had to overcome death in order to give us the gift of life.

But consider how Jesus appears to His disciples after raising from the dead:

A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

John 20:26-28 (NIV)

Even though Jesus was living in a resurrected body, He still had scars from His time on the cross. He didn’t deny the sacrifice it took to grant us life with Him. In fact, these scars were what helped Thomas identify Him as Jesus.

The scars remind us of the pain Jesus was willing to endure on our behalf because of His great love for us. Meanwhile, our scars reveal our weakness and need for a Savior.

The scars in our testimonies may be the moment that Jesus is revealed. The realization that we can’t save ourselves, but we are still given new life because we belong to the God who saves.

No matter what you have gone through, God can redeem your story and bless others by it. Don’t be afraid to share your testimony with others, but as you do so, ask God which pieces He wants you to tell. And in all things, glorify God as you recall His great love for you.

Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Ephesians 6:19-20 (NIV)

Love Unconditional

Jesus has already done the work to allow us to experience God’s love.

I love my dog, Rocky. He’s 13 pounds of pure fluff and sass. But he’s also incredibly fickle.

We have a running joke in my family about who is Rocky’s favorite family member. Sometimes, we even compete with each other over the title by giving him extra treats or tummy rubs or walks. Rocky gravitates toward whichever family member will give him what he wants.

By the end of the day, Rocky’s favorite family member has changed at least a dozen times, depending on what we do for him and whether he feels cuddly or playful or in need of some serious alone time.

I am so incredibly grateful that God is not fickle.

Imagine if we all tried to get God to choose us as His favorite child!

Oh wait–we actually do that sometimes, don’t we?

When we try to earn God’s affection through good works, generosity, and even self-righteousness, it comes out of a place of insecurity. We’re worried that we won’t be chosen by Him–or loved by Him–if we don’t do enough to get His attention. If we aren’t better than our neighbor.

Even still, God is faithful.

His love isn’t dependent on what we do or even how we identify ourselves. Our heavenly Father has already given us the best identity imaginable: beloved by Him.

When we do good deeds out of fear that God won’t love us otherwise, we are acting out of selfishness rather than love. But when we are spurred on to bless others by remembering the work Jesus already did on the cross–the ultimate act of love–we have the power to shine God’s light on earth.

As broken people, we may never fully comprehend God’s love for us until we are face-to-face with Him. It’s beyond our understanding. It’s unconditional.

But I pray that each day you will experience an extra layer of God’s love, and that you will be transformed by His love to become the person He created you to be.

God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:9 (NIV)

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 1:6, 9-11 (NIV)

But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

Galatians 4:4-7 (NIV)

The Gift of an Understanding God

No matter what this Christmas brings, we can find joy in knowing that Jesus intentionally chose the path that draws Him closest to us.

After a difficult day in middle school, I came home and flopped on the couch. My mom wandered over and asked what was wrong. I crossed my arms and turned my back to her.

Nobody understands! I shouted.

Nobody? she mused.

NOBODY!

We often assume our problems are very unique. I thought I was the only one who ever felt left out and unseen in band class, when that certainly wasn’t the case.

Then in high school, I found myself in a similar situation when none of my friends had the same lunch schedule as me. I spent eight months out of that school year sitting alone, feeling like the loneliest person in the world.

And then one day, through divine intervention, I discovered that one of my peers had also spent the school year eating by herself. We’re still friends to this day, bonded by enjoying the last month of lunches together. And we often remorse over how we wish we would’ve reached out to each other sooner.

Because despite previous belief, somebody truly understood!

When we’re experiencing difficulties, we may believe God couldn’t possibly understand what we are going through. But consider this: Jesus intentionally came to earth as a human baby. He allowed Himself to be vulnerable. He didn’t skip the awkward puberty years. He immersed Himself in community, which came with both companionship and rejection.

While Jesus didn’t get ghosted over text or flunk a chemistry class, He experienced the core hardships and heartbreaks we also struggle with.

Bullying? Check.

False accusassions? Affirmative.

Poverty? Yes.

Physical pain? Certainly.

Grief and loss? So deeply.

Rejection? Without a doubt.

Betrayal? Definitely.

Whatever you are experiencing now, Jesus has gone through. But get this: He went through it out of His own free will. He chose to undergo the human experience in order to relate to us because He loves us that much.

Christmastime can be a season of feeling misunderstood, especially if you are wrapping up a difficult year. In fact, all the traditions and decorations–the general fluff and hype of the holiday–feel exhausting in light of personal pain.

Perhaps you don’t feel happy this Christmas, and that’s okay. You have permission to sing a little quieter, to skip the festive parties, and to express your true feelings.

But I pray that you may experience hope and peace in place of the cheaper promises of the season. The true promise, God’s promise, isn’t of temporary comfort or instant gratification.

We can have hope because He promises to be in relationship with us through all seasons, no matter how we feel or what we can offer. We can have peace because Jesus has already conquered sin, so we have nothing to be afraid of.

And you know what? We can even have joy because joy doesn’t depend on our present circumstances. Our joy comes from knowing that Jesus loves us perfectly and that love can never be broken.

Merry Christmas! ❤

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

Luke 2:8-15 (NIV)

But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

Galatians 4:4-7 (NIV)

 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

Philippians 5:5-8

Jesus: The Gift of Unconditional Love

How is our deepest need met through the promise of our Savior?

Deep down, every single one of us longs for unconditional love.

That’s why the sting of rejection or unsatisfying interactions cause us to grieve. When we experience conditional love–when people only show us love when we perform well or please them–we may feel tempted to walk away from relationships altogether.

And while we can strive to love others unconditionally, we will never be able to love perfectly on this side of Heaven. So how can our deepest need be met? How can these two opposing forces be reconciled?

Through Jesus.

But before you roll your eyes at the standard Sunday school answer, bear with me through a few ponderings. As someone who grew up in the church, it’s been ingrained in my brain that only Jesus loves us perfectly because He is God and God is Love.

But what does that really mean? How can this incredible promise come to life for us this season?

Consider these verses with me:

 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

John 3:16-18 (NIV)

What does unconditional love mean?

For God, it meant giving up His very own Son in order to save us and be with us.

Reflect on that for a moment: Through Jesus, God gave up His very self–His very life–in order to demonstrate His love for us.

And the gift doesn’t end there.

Consider this passage with me, titled in my Bible as “Jesus Prays for All Believers”:

“My prayer is not for [my disciples] alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

John 17:20-25 (NIV)

Through this passage, we learn that God loves us so much, He wants to be with us all the time. That’s why we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit, so that even after Jesus returned to Heaven, the Spirit resides in us to remind us of God’s love and promises. When we invite the Spirit into our lives, we are guided on the right path, comforted in affliction, and refined in godly character.

This verse in particular really stands out to me:

Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

God loves us as much as He loves Jesus–as much as He loves His very own self.

There is truly no greater sacrifice than to die to yourself so that another may live.

No matter what mistakes you’ve made, what regrets plague your mind, what dreams you wish to pursue–God is offering you the gift of unconditional love.

You don’t have to change before receiving this love. You simply need to open your heart and accept it–and the transformative work that will follow.

Because once you receive Jesus’ love, you won’t want to stay the same. You will want to grow in the fruits of His Spirit, especially in how you love others.

When you fully recognize the unmeasurable gift of Jesus’ love, your heart’s new longing will be to worship Him.

And how do we worship Jesus?

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Matthew 22:36-39

As we strive to worship Jesus with our whole selves, we must also have grace for the journey.

It’s okay if you mess up. It’s okay that you can’t love others perfectly. But take every opportunity you can to love others–not out of obligation or guilt, but because you are satisfied in Jesus’ perfect love for you.

If you’re struggling to find something to celebrate this Advent season, take a moment to experience the joy that comes in knowing that you, in whatever state you find yourself in today, are fully known and fully loved by the wonderful God who created you.

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 4:8

God is Our Refuge (Part 2)

Together, let’s find hope in God’s promise to be our refuge in Psalm 34.

I will extol the Lord at all times;
    his praise will always be on my lips.
2 I will glory in the Lord;
    let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the Lord with me;
    let us exalt his name together.

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
    he delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant;
    their faces are never covered with shame.
6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
    he saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
    and he delivers them.

8 Taste and see that the Lord is good;
    blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
9 Fear the Lord, you his holy people,
    for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
11 Come, my children, listen to me;
    I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Whoever of you loves life
    and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil
    and your lips from telling lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
    seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
    and his ears are attentive to their cry;
16 but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
    to blot out their name from the earth.

17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
    he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
    and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

19 The righteous person may have many troubles,
    but the Lord delivers him from them all;
20 he protects all his bones,
    not one of them will be broken.

21 Evil will slay the wicked;
    the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord will rescue his servants;
    no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

-Psalm 34, NIV

God loves you as the perfect father loves his child, as a wise instructor loves his student, and as a masterful artist loves his creation. He allows us to go through challenges and trials in order to reveal His love even more deeply to us, and offer us the chance to grow closer to Him.

Consider these questions as you reflect on the word of God:

  • What is something you can praise God for today?
  • What is plaguing your heart with fear?
  • How is God calling you to release your fears and desires to Him?
  • In what ways may the Spirit be convicting you today? (And remember, conviction is not meant to put us to shame, but to refine us into the perfect creation God intended us to be).

If you are going through a hard season, God still hears you and wants you to come to Him. Let down your guard and accept His nurturing presence. Remember, He is with you through it all. You will find refuge in His wings.

How Do You Want to Be Loved?

When you understand how you want to be loved, you will no longer find yourself drawn to inauthentic relationships.

To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God. It is what we need more than anything. It liberates us from pretense, humbles us out of our self-righteousness, and fortifies us for any difficulty life can throw at us.”

-Timothy Keller

We speak a lot about love in this world. In society, we are taught that self-love is most important. At church, we are taught that no one can love perfectly except God, but that true love takes sacrifice, a dying to our flesh. These ideas intermingle in our minds, but often feel unclear.

We are born with the desire to be loved. Why else would we be in community? Why else would we have friends or romantic partners and partake in ceremonies that celebrate undying love, like weddings?

There is something so beautiful and so incomprehensible about love. As humans, we want to explain what love is. We want to put borders around love. We like to say that love means acceptance or second chances or blind trust.

But we cannot explain love because God is love and God cannot be fully explained, at least to our humble minds. And God’s abilities are limitless.

However, it’s not wrong to explore what love means to you. Perhaps it can even help you grow in your understanding of God, too.

Even those who have never known or heard of God crave His unconditional love. This is the love spoken of in the quote by Timothy Keller. A love that knows, chooses, liberates, challenges, and ultimately betters us for the kingdom of God.

This love is so rare in the world. We cannot love perfectly, but we can still try. And when we fail, we can turn to the one who loves us perfectly and ask for His help.

When you understand how you want to be loved through a godly lens, you will no longer find yourself drawn to relationships that aren’t built on authentic love. You will recognize who in your life only “loves” you for what you do for them or who they think you are, even if you are someone completely different. You will no longer gravitate toward superficial love, but pursue deep, soulful love.

There might be times when there aren’t people in your life who can love you this way. Those times are lonely and painful, but they are also times when, if you allow yourself, you will experience God’s love in the deepest way possible. He will meet you in these moments. God is not afraid of the darkness because He is the light.

And these times of loneliness will not last forever.

But how do you know what kind of love God offers and what kind of love we should extend upon others?

Spend time with God and ask Him. Search His word. Study Jesus’ interactions in the New Testament. Listen to God’s promises in the Old Testament.

God promises to heal us (Isaiah 57:18), provide us hope (Romans 15:13), sanctify us (John 17:17), prepare a place for us believers in Heaven (John 14:3), and love us for all eternity, going so far as to sacrifice His own Son for a relationship with us (John 3:16).

The fruits of the Spirit are born out of the love God has for us, and He offers us these fruits when we choose to follow Him:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance [patience], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

-Galatians 5:22-23

Once we accept the love God has for us, we are equipped to love those around us. Imperfectly, yes, but through God’s grace and power, they may still experience God’s perfect love through us.

Now the question is, how are you being called to love others today?

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

-1 Corinthians 13:1-3

The Incredible Reality of Unconditional Love

How does embracing God’s unconditional love for us change the trajectory of our lives forever?

Evangelical churches are often characterized in the media for stirring souls toward salvation with sermons about damnation and fiery flames. Even in small group discipling conversations, the emphasis is often on gaining eternal life rather than the earthly benefits of following Jesus. While eternal life certainly lasts longer than our time on Earth, it isn’t the only – or perhaps even most important – aspect of a relationship with God. 

When we love Jesus, we will obey – or at least do our best to obey – His teachings (John 14:15). And what is Jesus’ number one command? 

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Luke 10:37

You know how spending time with someone, even someone completely different from you, can cause you to pick up their mannerisms and understand their perspective? The same is true of a relationship with Jesus. If you spend the rest of your life with Him, even when your growth feels slow, you are becoming more like Him. Your heart softens as it fills with His love and pours out on those around you.

You will find yourself naturally seeking out the interests of others above your own. You will crave honest and authentic relationships. You will pause before making major decisions and seek godly counsel. Even if your life looks more difficult and your faith causes you to make sacrificial choices, you will be filled with joy and the strength to keep going. And on the rough days, when you feel alone or defeated, you won’t stay stuck in those emotions because you have someone who loves you unconditionally to whom you can call. 

When you approach someone without faith and explain that they should submit their life to Christ in order to be more kind and selfless, you may unintentionally come off as selfish. It’s like saying, “I just want you to be saved so that you treat me better.” In truth, they are the one who suffers the most from not having a relationship with Jesus. 

The longer they try to do life without unconditional love, the harder their hearts will become. They turn inward for assurance and comfort and love, but they won’t find it there, no matter how desperately they search. Empty and defeated, they will invest in outward sources, whether it be relationships, wealth, physical health, or even humanitarian work.

While those sources may provide immediate comfort, they won’t sustainably meet their deeper needs. People come and go. The economy collapses. Illness hits. Causes and campaigns, even the most noble of them, fade out of relevance eventually. Or enthusiasm for them does when they try to take on the burdens of the world without God’s strength and comfort.

Naturally, when all else fails, they turn back to themselves, realizing they are all they have left. The world encourages us to pump ourselves up with motivational mantras: “You are special”, “You are worthy”, “You are loved”. But when these phrases come from ourselves, they don’t mean anything. We have been designed to need validation from an outside source. Sadly, we often turn to people who don’t have the capacity to love us fully 100% of the time.

But here is where God reenters the picture, though He’s been waiting there the whole time. He wants to take us by the hand and say, “My child, I have always loved you. I know you better than you know yourself. Give up the lie that anything other than my love will sustain you. Come, follow me.”

This path won’t be easy, but it will be lined with grace. All of these things that you’ve craved for your whole life, whether it be purpose or love or hope, can be found in a relationship with God. 

How is God calling you today? If you close your eyes and reflect, how can you see Him working in your life to help you grow in love and selflessness? 

Because of His love and redemption, you are special, worthy, and loved. Even as believers, we can struggle to remember this when our thoughts tell us otherwise. Today, are you ready to accept this incredible reality?

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 4:8

But whoever loves God is known by God.

1 Corinthians 8:3

Love Shatters Everything

Are you willing to embrace radical change through Jesus’ love?

My dad always used to begin his day drinking hot tea in a glass mug. Sometimes, I’d tiptoe downstairs and watch him sort through paper ads, snipping and trimming deals, calmly sipping. Then one morning – CRASH. He had chosen to drink cold soda in his glass, hot out of the dishwasher. I flew down the stairs. Bits of glass sprayed across the kitchen. 

A few years later, long after the mug had been thrown away, I learned that certain artists comb the beach in search of sea glass. Sea glass originates as a useless shard of trash, but through years of physical and chemical weathering from salt water, it can become a lovely piece of frosted glass utilized by artists.

Chaos ensues whenever glass breaks. There’s usually screaming: “Be careful! How did this happen? Watch out! Bare toes!”. It’s impossible to break glass without anyone within earshot noticing. It cannot be done in a pretty or gentle way. But it can turn out beautiful.

Change is a lot like this. We often say we want to change – though grow or develop are favorable euphemisms. But change causes chaos. We must ask ourselves, “Are we willing to embrace chaos if it means we can become more like Christ?”.

Change isn’t comfy-cozy. It’s disruptive and provocative. It requires us to shed a layer of skin, becoming vulnerable and authentic. As we change, people will notice. Some like it; others don’t. 

Take boundaries, for instance. Boundaries allow us to refrain from enabling others, live restful and balanced lives, and prioritize authenticity over pleasing people and avoiding conflict. However, the recipient of our boundaries may be surprised and disappointed when we aren’t so accommodating anymore.

Setting boundaries is actually an excellent test of whether the other person in the relationship is in it for their personal gain or because they truly care. If they suddenly don’t want to be in contact anymore, you may have to ask yourself whether they were a real friend or not. Boundaries give us the freedom to invest in healthy relationships and release the toxic ones.

Of course, we must do everything out of love, including how we set boundaries and interact with difficult people. Love isn’t always, or even often, comfortable. Jesus is love and love is radical. If it can change a man from being a killer of Christians into a renowned teacher of God’s truth and love even thousands of years after his death (ahem, Paul), then love can truly redeem the hardest of hearts. But it requires sacrifice. 

You will face hard choices and be nudged out of your comfort zone when you choose to love as Jesus loves. But love is what changes everything. It reminds us of our desperate need for a Savior and it binds us together by grace.

If we aren’t willing to embrace change, then what are we even doing here? Think of your walk with Jesus as you would a friendship. When you first become friends with someone, you are strangers and can enjoy a surface-level relationship for a time. But if you only maintain this level of friendship, you’ll never feel satisfied or known, or most of all, loved. 

As we get to know Jesus, His love for us will fill our hearts and overflow out of us. This love can change us no matter how far gone we feel and impact others who are hurting and broken. 

Today, I challenge you to ask God how He wants you to grow. He will give you the strength to embrace positive change when you ask for His help. You aren’t meant to do this alone, and thankfully, you don’t have to. God’s Spirit dwells within you, ready to comfort you and inspire you to become more like Christ.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

2 Corinthians 5:17