“But God clearly shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 AMP
Some people are easy to love. They’re good-looking, successful, socially intelligent, and fun to be around. They work hard, work smart, and work well leading, joining, or supporting a team. They’re generous with their time, wisdom, connections, and resources. Most importantly they make you feel great, like you belong, like you’re worth all of it. They know how to care for the weakness in you, resist the worst in you, and bring out the best in you. They can hold you through failures, cheer you through challenges, and celebrate your wins. Who doesn’t love a friend like this?
However most people aren’t this easy to love, and there a few who seem absolutely impossible to love. They might not be very attractive or smart but this is often not a major issue. People who are obnoxious, unstable, unkind, lazy or bossy make love difficult. Those who make you feel, say, or do terrible things you normally wouldn’t are hardest of all to love and treat well.
But God loves humanity dearly, and His heart goes out after us when we sin. He not only goes out after us, but runs ahead of us. His love gets in front of us, so we can’t miss the message. Sin leads to death, the permanent separation, complete destruction, total annihilation kind of death. God sent Jesus to overtake us, to outrun us in our running away, to reach this death before we did. While we’re still running away, breaking every law of happiness on the way, not understanding the magnitude of all we’re doing, Christ died the second death for our sin, total and complete separation from the Father.
Why?! No one does this! Maybe for a best friend, possibly for a stranger, but not for an enemy. No. Well, no one but God. God’s love for us is bigger and stronger than we can comprehend. It’s just who He is. All we can do is accept that it’s the way He is and let that love change us.
God, Your love is a wonder. It is so rare it makes me unsure of it sometimes. Thank you for being You and not letting my issues stop You from being You and loving me anyway. But the thought of loving others the way You do terrifies me! Yet I’ve learned by experience that You bring out the best in me. And that excites me! So please give me your Spirit, prepare me for the life and sacrifice you will call me to, and keep me until love is easy.
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