Why We Need God’s Unconditional Love
Perfect hearts of pink and red shaped paper, along with bright shiny Valentine’s Day garland, adorns the places we frequent daily in preparation for Valentine’s Day.
Quick trips to the store often leave us contemplating our need for the many candies, cards, and tchotchkes (small, decorative objects that are not of much value) celebrating the holiday commonly known as Valentine’s Day.
Our bulletin boards, desks, and countertops display a variety of flowers, gifts, and cards, as we express our love for one another. Trivia fact, Wikipedia states that in the U.S., 190 million Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year, not including the hundreds of millions of cards exchanged among schoolchildren. Valentine’s Day spending in 2017 topped $18.2 billion. That’s a lot of love! Or is it?
What is love, really?
I think we can all agree that we have felt feelings of love toward a person, a hobby, or even our favorite food. (Does anyone else love a really good taco?)
But while these things show us how our hearts can show affection towards something, love goes much deeper than that.
It begins, flows, and ends with the heart of God.
What is the Love of God?
Throughout the Bible, we read about a delicately yet powerfully woven story of the love of God for humankind.
God authors the essence of perfect love, beginning with a choice in a Garden and ending with a faithful Redeemer who reigns victorious.
Love is a prominent theme in the Bible and is often translated from the Greek word agape, especially regarding how God loves. So what is agape love?
It is the unconditional and sacrificial love of the Father.
It is decisive, not based on feelings.
It is unrestricted, regardless of how others respond or react.
The love of God for us is undeserved mercy and overflowing grace.
Relying on God’s Love
“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” 1 John 4:16 NIV
God’s love is unconditional. His love strengthens us to live holy lives as we glorify Him.
God’s love empowers us to walk through hardship while holding fast to the Truth of who He is and who He says we are.
His love helps us overcome addiction, people-pleasing, and sinful tendencies.
And when the people of our world – our spouse, friends, and strangers – treat us with neglect and convenience, God’s love protects our hearts, drawing us to His perfect love.
What good news it is that as we live lives as conduits of God’s heart, He is faithful to replenish us with His perfect love for others and ourselves as well.
Dwelling in His Unconditional Love
However, our reliance on the love of God in our life doesn’t just stop there; it has a more significant Kingdom impact than what we see on the surface.
Do you know that a spiritual war is going on in the heavens surrounding your identity, purpose, and calling?
And while the enemy schemes to steal, kill, and destroy, we are empowered with the wonderous love of God.
A love that gives us the revelation of His Spirit for every plan set before us.
A love that offers all-encompassing freedom in how we live, think, and speak.
A love that lavishly pours out mercy so we can have the victory of eternal life with Him.
God’s unconditional love never fails.
God’s love is all we need.
And today, more than ever, may we know and truly rely on the unconditional love of God, a love that surpasses all others. And when we love, God lives in us, and us in Him.
God is love.
Happy Valentine’s Day, my sweet sister-in-Christ!
