God’s Love (1)
CONDITIONAL OR UNCONDITIONAL?
We often preach to others that God loves us and his love for us is unconditional (agape), that his love for us is not based on our performance or deed. We even appeal to the fact that he sacrificed his Son for us while we were still unrepentant sinners to prove that his love for us is not determined by our performance. Yet, further reflection caused me to realize that we actually find it hard to believe that God’s love is totally unconditional, that our actions do not affect the depth of his love for us at all.
Yes, God loves us. I believe that all Christians will agree with me. Yet, we tend to believe that God will love us more if we obey him and follow his ways. If we were to disobey and displease him, we tend to think that God would love us less compared to his love for us if we obey him. We find it difficult to believe that no matter how obedient or disobedient we are to him, the depth of his love for us is forever the same.
As a result, we feel good and safe when we are walking on the ‘right’ track, picturing God to show his approval as he looks at our performances. Yet, at times when we fall, we find ourselves struggling badly to pick ourselves up to resume our journey. We find it difficult to face God again for we assume that God must be very angry with us for violating his laws and must have turn away from us. Yet, let us remember the comforting truth that the depth of God’s love for us is the same before and after our falls and wrongdoings. If we fall, he does not turn away from us. Rather, he eagerly desires us to pick ourselves up from our fall and continue in our walk with him.
God’s love is never dependent on us. His love is unconditional.
We often preach to others that God loves us and his love for us is unconditional (agape), that his love for us is not based on our performance or deed. We even appeal to the fact that he sacrificed his Son for us while we were still unrepentant sinners to prove that his love for us is not determined by our performance. Yet, further reflection caused me to realize that we actually find it hard to believe that God’s love is totally unconditional, that our actions do not affect the depth of his love for us at all.
Yes, God loves us. I believe that all Christians will agree with me. Yet, we tend to believe that God will love us more if we obey him and follow his ways. If we were to disobey and displease him, we tend to think that God would love us less compared to his love for us if we obey him. We find it difficult to believe that no matter how obedient or disobedient we are to him, the depth of his love for us is forever the same.
As a result, we feel good and safe when we are walking on the ‘right’ track, picturing God to show his approval as he looks at our performances. Yet, at times when we fall, we find ourselves struggling badly to pick ourselves up to resume our journey. We find it difficult to face God again for we assume that God must be very angry with us for violating his laws and must have turn away from us. Yet, let us remember the comforting truth that the depth of God’s love for us is the same before and after our falls and wrongdoings. If we fall, he does not turn away from us. Rather, he eagerly desires us to pick ourselves up from our fall and continue in our walk with him.
God’s love is never dependent on us. His love is unconditional.
Labels: Reflections
posted by Dan at 6/15/2006 01:07:00 am
2 Comments:
Hey dan! yay!!!! you're finally blogging....
My comment: I agree with you that "we actually find it hard to believe that God’s love is totally unconditional, that our actions do not affect the depth of his love for us at all." I used to be like that - till I met you guys. I've learnt from our community that God loves me 'just as I am' and 'for who I am' and not what I do. Thanks for loving me 'just as I am'.
During my 40-day spiritual journey i really learnt tat..indeed, God is real, no matter how we feel..he is always present, even when we are unaware of him, and his presence is too profound to be measured by mere emotion..so let us alwats focus on who God is, not our emotions..circumstances cannot change the character of God. God's grace is still in full force;he is stil for us, even when we don't feel it. Amen?
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