Incredible Love
Author:
February 06, 2025
It’s almost Valentine’s day, which means we’re being bombarded with red hearts, boxes of chocolate, and the commercial pressure for how to love correctly. But in this season of love, it’s important to remind ourselves of the true source of love.
When we understand God’s love for us, and strive for deeper intimacy with Him, the way we love our family, friends, or spouse is an overflow of what God is doing internally. When we think about love, we often think of human relationships. The love between family, friends, or our spouse. These relationships, though beautiful and meaningful, are often limited by our flaws, misunderstandings, and human nature. Yet, when we seek to understand God’s love, we are faced with something entirely different: a love that is perfect, unconditional, and beyond measure. Here are some reminders for us:
His Love Is Unconditional: One of the most incredible aspects of God’s love is that it is not based on anything we do or fail to do. The Bible tells us that “God is love” (1 John 4:8). Unlike human love, which often depends on meeting expectations or behaving in certain ways, God’s love is constant and unchanging. He loves us not because of our accomplishments or good deeds but because of who He is. In fact, Romans 5:8 tells us, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” In our human experience, love often feels earned or conditional. It’s easy to believe that we must prove ourselves worthy of love, or that our mistakes will lead to rejection. But God’s love defies this way of thinking.
His Love Is Sacrificial: The ultimate example of God’s love is the sacrifice of His son. In John 3:16, one of the classic, “coffee cup verses,” we read, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” God didn’t just send Jesus to love us with words, He showed it through action. Jesus’ death on the cross was the ultimate act of sacrificial love. Imagine the depth of this sacrifice: Jesus, who was without sin, took upon Himself the punishment we deserved, offering Himself as a ransom for our sins. His sacrifice bridged the gap between us and God, allowing us to experience Him in the sweetest way.
His Love Transforms Us: When we truly grasp the magnitude of God’s love for us, it changes the way we see ourselves and others. It has to change every facet of our reality, and in turn changes how we view and respond to EVERYTHING. In 1 John 4:19, we are reminded, “We love because He first loved us.” It is through God’s love that we learn how to love others. His love becomes the foundation and the ultimate model for our relationships. The more we experience His love, the more that love can be an outpouring and overflowing of what He’s doing in our lives.
As we deepen our understanding of God’s love, we are invited to respond by loving Him in return and by modeling His love to others. It’s a love that will never fail, and it is available to all who seek it. So, during this season of Valentine’s, take a moment to reflect on His precious love.
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