God's Love is Always

I was struck last night with the greatness of God's love.  No matter how "loving" we imagine ourselves to be, our love is nothing compared to God's infinite love.  Love is the greatest fruit of the Spirit.  Unless the Holy Spirit lives within and empowers us to love, loving and forgiving others is impossible.  It is good for us to recognise our lack and ability to love so we might earnestly walk in the love of God, not just the best efforts of our flesh.

Jesus said to His disciples in John 15:12-13, "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends."  Laying down your life for your friends is the greatest demonstration humanly possible, and Jesus did this and more too.  He laid down His life on Calvary for friends, enemies, sinners.  What I find phenomenal about Jesus is He loved people He knew hated Him and would continue to do so - despite His love.  He was utterly relentless to love.

When we are hurt by others at some point we ask ourselves, "Why do I keep putting myself out there only to be hurt again and again?  What is the point of loving people who could turn against me?"  Last night, perhaps for the first time, it occurred to me these are questions Jesus never asked Himself.  How do I know?  Because these questions indicate a lack of love and trust in God and Jesus maintained infinite measures of both.  We ask ourselves if it is wise to keep loving someone after we have been hurt; Jesus loved people knowing well they would reject and hurt Him on purpose.  He loved completely before and after, as if nothing had happened.  There was no intermission of His love regardless of His pain.  The love manifested in Christ a love beyond any love of mine.

Consider the NIV rendering of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 which describes God's love:  "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."  God's love is complete and constant, not dependant on our emotional state or the good performance of others.  It is founded upon the righteous, glorious power of God who does not change.  God's love is always:  always protecting, trusting, hoping, and persevering.  Grief cannot twist it, betrayal cannot dampen it, and death cannot kill it.  God's love is, even as He is.

Our feelings of love must not be confused with God's love.  Human emotions can be very strong, but faith in God allows us to love even as the Holy Spirit empowers people to prophesy, speak in tongues, or interpret.  Jesus commands us to love and enables us to do so when we decide in that moment to trust and obey Him.  It will not be easy for us, and this walk of faith never is.  We may contrive a million reasons why loving someone is a bad idea, but this is sure evidence we have reached the end of our love and are toying with the sin of not abiding in God's love.  We had only been loving others on a superficial plane - the equivalent of splashing around in puddles by the beach - and God would have us launch out in faith into His ocean of love.  It will feel like jumping out of a plane without a parachute at times, but we can know God's loving, everlasting arms will uphold us.  As we have freely received God's love may we freely give always.