A revelation on love

He loved me first
Growing up, I sang the song “Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so”. Another song had the lyrics “oh yes I love Jesus because He first loved me” This created a mindset that I should reciprocate my love to Jesus. Then there was the popular John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave His only son” for me so that I would not have to live in hell on earth but that I would have eternal life. So I loved Him but only because He loved me first and what He had done; this was more obligatory than it was heartfelt. Honestly, I did not understand what it meant to love this Divine Being nor did I comprehend fully that He loves me.

Myth: Work for His love- Keep that love going

As a result, I used to work for His love. I figured that if I did the things that pleased Him, He would continue to love me and I could keep His love. Now, I know that God doesn’t love me because I am good, He loves me because HE IS GOOD. This is a very fundamental principle to grasp because religion has taught us that you have to DO something to earn His love. We are human BEings, not human Doings, He loves us just for being! Now I do things that please Him because I love Him.

Nothing can change my love for you
Does this mean that even if I do things that displeases Him, He will still love me? YES, INDEED! God loves sinners but He hates sin. God loves the liar but hates the lie; He loves the murderer but hates murder. Huge difference! Does this give you a license to sin? We don’t need one, we were sinning without one! This simply means that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God because it is true love. It doesn’t fade; He doesn’t fall in and out of love. He doesn’t have love. He is love! So if someone loves you so much, would you really want to take advantage of that and take it for granted? Of course He will forgive you if you slip up, but why exercise your right to be forgiven when He has given you the grace to abstain from sin?

It’s just that real love

Even after I understood all of this, my love for God was still in my head and not in my heart. There were times when I would FEEL that I really love God. Love should not be reduced to a feeling. Love is an action. Love is a decision. I realized that I was basing my love for God on my emotions. Then I made a decision that I wanted to love God. I thought about how I developed love for other people.

Relationships explored - Let’s get practical
Mother and child – mom loves baby and SHOWS (action) baby that they are loved through actions and affirmations. Child is thankful and reciprocates love. Child spends time with mother and learns to appreciate the mother as a person, not just as a role.

Boy meets girl – boy meets girl and they find each other attractive (eh, haven’t seen God YET so let’s exclude this part) -> boy and girl decide to spend time together to get to know each other -> they develop a relationship after realizing that intentions are pure and to harm them but rather there is a desire to give a good future.
I discovered that I did not KNOW God because I did not SPEND TIME with Him. So I changed that. I started to read His Word (the Bible) to get to know about Him.

I had my quiet times: just me, my thoughts and God. I said goodbye to religion and developed an intimate relationship with Him. Eventually I learned to sense His presence. He is always with me! Now I know Him and I really do love Him!

OK so I get all the love stuff, how does that help? I’ve been told that He loves me but what does that change? I am still unemployed, broke, homeless, hungry, sad, lonely, depressed.
See that’s the thing…because He is love and He loves us, He does not want to see us unemployed, broke, homeless, hungry, sad, lonely, depressed. He will help you because He is love- but you have to ask. God is limited in what He can do if we don’t ask him. We are free to do as we please and because He is a gentleman, He will not force Himself on you, He has to be invited and welcomed. Do not expect Him to intervene unless we request that He does. Play your cards right and ask for His help. Just talk to Him like you would speak to me. His love never fails.