a lesson in love

We just started a new sermon series at my church called Love and Be Loved.

(In case you don't know, I go to The Gallery Church in Manhattan. It was the first church I visited when I moved to the City and it quickly became my home. But I digress...)

This week's message was about God's irrevocable love for us. For me, this topic seems to be a no-brainer. God loves me and he calls me to love him in return. Right, check, got it.

But when I really think about it, I can't help but be amazed by God's unfaltering love. How can He possibly love me so much when I am...well, when I am so imperfect? When I continuously mess up, let Him down, walk away from Him? None of this makes sense to me.

Of course I have good intentions, of course I mean well. Please, I was raised in a Baptist church, I certainly know how to behave as a "good" Christian. But He doesn't call me to just follow dutifully. He doesn't say, "try to do as I say and the more you try, the more I will love you."

To Him it makes no difference if I'm trying to follow, living as He instructed or if I'm not even listening at all. No matter what I do, he will still love me the same. I don't ever have to doubt it. And that's crazy.

So I am unconditionally loved. But I am also called to love unconditionally. That's the thing about love. It's not just about silent affection, it's about action. Not actions that will make Him love me more, but actions that will show Him how much I really do love Him.

It's a bit convicting, no? This realization that loving isn't really loving without some response. Seems simple enough since we find ways to do it everyday in our other relationships. And it makes me wonder - If I don't ever have to doubt His love for me, does He ever have reason to question my love for Him? He shouldn't have to, my life should show Him.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment"

~Matthew 22:37-38