Unconditional Love

Since Mother's Day is exactly a week away, I have been thinking of the things that I value most in my mother.  The quality that keeps reoccurring in my mind is unconditional love.  The dictionary defines unconditional love as "affection with no limits or conditions."  That seems pretty accurate to me, but it also seems like so much more than that when you experience it. 

Understanding unconditional love can be a hard task in a world that so often loves with great limits.  Having the freedom to be loved for exactly who you are with the mistakes and baggage you bring is incredibly humbling.  No matter what kind of love we have experienced by the people around us, we must be able to grasp God's unconditional love for us.  The bible says that God is love and without understanding that, we do not understand love (1 John 4:8).  In order to give love, we must get it from the source.  If someone was thirsty, you could not provide water for them without going to the source of water.  Love works the same way, you must receive His love in order to give love (1 John 4:16).

We often make mistakes, because we are sinners.  However, Christ died for us even when we were sinners (Romans 5:8).  That is love, laying down His life for the one He loved.  He died for you (how humbling is that??).  He does not count our wrongs or hold them against us (1 Corinthians 13:5).  Sometimes it can be hard to accept a love that seems so unreal to the human logic, but God says that we are wonderfully and fearfully made in His image (Psalm 139:14, Genesis 1:27).  We are capable of recieving such a powerful love.

Once we learn to accept and abide in His love, we must begin to love others in this way.  The world often wants us to not always be forgiving or turn our backs on the ones who have done us wrong, but God calls us to something different.  He says to love our enemies and those who have hurt us (Luke 6:27).  He calls us to forgive other and not to count their wrongs (Matthew 5:44).  1 Corinthians 13 gives us this perfect picture of how love should be given to others.  Do not get discourage if you cannot give love perfectly, He never calls us to be perfect.  However, when we dwell in His love we will have the love to give unconditionally to others.

I hope that this gives you encouragement to give unconditional love and thank those who have illustrated love to you (including Jesus)!  Have a blessed Sunday evening! Much Love!