What is it about the love of God?

My husband had the opportunity to speak at The City youth ministry over the weekend. As time lead up to the service he kept asking me, “Honey, what should I speak about?” Every time he would ask me this I would jokingly say; “Just talk about the love of God. Every time someone talks about the love of God there isn’t a dry eye in the place. It’s always powerful and everyone cries.” We laughed thinking back on all the messages we have heard about God’s love and how truly impacting that topic always seems to be.

Brandon didn’t use the entire message to speak on God’s love but he did end up talking about it in his third point. He began to explain that God’s love for us is so great that he gave to us the best gift he could possibly think of: his one and only son. We all have heard the scripture many times, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. Sure enough, it was that moment that the message shifted from a humorous message to one that brought tears into peoples eyes (even his, although he probably will blame it on allergies or something). I hate to say I told you so, my love.

So what is it about the Love of God, anyway? Why is it that when the Love of God is spoken about, something powerful happens in the atmosphere?

I think most of us could think of a time when someone told us they loved us but their actions proved otherwise. We see examples of “love” that are only examples of relationships centered around money, power or what one person can do for another. It is because of these experiences that we develop a false perception of love, and often times have a hard time receiving it ourselves.

When I was fourteen, I was taken in by an amazing family. They loved me but I couldn’t understand why. They hung stockings up for me for Christmas each year, and called me their sister and daughter. In the back of my mind I thought to myself that maybe one day I would be rich and repay them. I thought that one day I could help alleviate the burden they carried by financial compensation. I didn’t think they could actually just love me because (gulp) I was me. Funny thing is, they still love me and consider me family in spite of the fact I can’t really “give them anything in return.”

It wasn’t until I became a parent that I understood a fraction of this rare unconditional love that our God has for us. Each time I hold my child in my arms, I am filled with an uncontrollable love. I know that even one day if they spit in my face and walk away from everything I have taught them, (although my heart will break) my love for them will still remain. Of course there is consequences for disobedience but even discipline is an act of love (Hebrews 12:6).

This is the kind of love we all desire. A love that bears with us through our faults, failures and mistakes. A love that will pursue us even when we don’t deserve it and we haven’t earned it. A love that helps us be better, strive for more and remind us that we have value and worth (even when we don’t feel like we are valuable or worthy). A love that gives us the freedom to be ourselves, quirks, flaws and all. One that doesn’t give up on us when things get hard.

This is the kind of love God has for us, the love that many of us ignore as we continue to strive for the counterfeit approval of man. We have nothing to offer God that could possibly earn or deserve the kind of love he has offered to us. This is why it brings tears to people’s eyes; it’s an outrageous, relentless, unfathomable, hard-to-receive kind of love!


Don't Settle,
Mel Miller