Love... What do you instantly think of when that word echoes in your mind? Do you think of all of the people that have shown you love in your life, or all of the people who you felt should have, but didn't? Some people live their entire life feeling that no one loves or cares about them. How sad is it to live your entire life and leave this earth not knowing what true love feels like.
I have been learning a lot about love, and the degrees of love. I get amused at my son when he approaches me to tell me how much he loves me. He always puts a limit on it. As he rises one of his small hands up, he will tell me each day, "Mommy, I love you five." Sometimes I'll get a ten if I've done something super special for him that day. I'm so glad I know that his love for me goes past five! In his growing mind, loving someone five is a lot. He thinks that loving me five is all the love that he has to give at that moment.
I'm sure you chucked a bit at my son giving me his love, but all too often, we are just like him. We place limits on our love. We only love someone when they are performing outstanding tasks that place them in the admiration of others. We only love someone when they are doing something for us. We only love someone when we feel close to them. We only love someone when they love us. We only love someone when we want to. We decide who we want to love and why we want to love them. For the people that we don't love, we blame them. Someone doesn't love their father because he chose not to be involved in their childhood. Someone doesn't love their child because he or she grew up to do everything they were taught not to do. Someone doesn't love you just simply because of who you are and what your complex personality entails. And, you don't love someone because they don't love you! What a miserable, endless cycle of lovelessness!
Let's face it, as much as we would love for everyone to love us; they aren't! And, the only thing you can do is to show love towards them, regardless of their actions towards you. Yes, what a difficult task! And, no, I can't say that I practice loving everyone at all times. And yes, some people make it difficult for you to love them! Guess what, sometimes we may make it difficult for God to love us, but He still does. God shows us agape love. Agape love is love that lasts. Agape love is a love that says I love you no matter what! I love you when you don't love me! I love you when you treat me rotten! I love you when no one else does! I love you when you are giving me all of you, and even when you aren't giving me any of you! I love you through test, trials, and storms! I love you when you don't even love yourself! I love you when you are truly unlovable! And, not only do I love you, but I continuously show you that I love you!
Isn't it awesome that God loves us no matter what? I don't know about you, but I have mistreated many of His children, have broken His commandments, have been disobedient, have been disrespectful, have had a rebellious spirit, have abused and mistreated some of the blessings I have received from Him, have tried to steal His glory at times, and a few other sins also. And, not only have I done these things once, but numerous times in my lifetime. I know this because He loves me so much, that He shows me my wrongs towards Him so that I can confess them and be washed white as snow by Jesus' blood. There are no words for the gratefulness that flows through my heart that God loves me so.
We must think about how much we show God that we love Him. Do we agape love our heavenly Father? Do we bless Him, or curse Him in the midst of our storms? Are we obedient unto His word daily? No, we will not reach perfection here, but we are a work in progress and should be showing a little improvement each day. The Bible provides proof of God's immeasurable degree of love towards us.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting live. (KJV)
God loves us so much that He sent His only Son, Jesus to live a rough life full of hard work and torment only to die on the cross after much mistreatment. Do you love anyone so much that you would give up the life of your child? God's love for us cannot be matched by any human being! I want every reader to know today, that God loves you. Sometimes we need to be reminded of that. Let's thank God today for His agape love!
Father, I want to thank You for your agape love this moment. I thank you for loving me so much, that you sent Your only Son to die for my sins so I can spend eternity with You. I thank You for loving the real me and not the LaVetta that everyone sees. Thank You God for loving me when I was unlovable. Please forgive me for times when my actions did not show love towards You, and thank You for loving me despite my actions. Forgive me for times when I did not love others, for I know that it is Your command that we must not only love one another, but also show love towards one another. Help me to love all of Your children. Thank You for those that love me, and those that do not. Teach us all to love one another. Help me to not look for reasons to love someone or make excuses for reasons why I don't love them. Lord teach me to agape love.
Amen.
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