True Love

Happy Valentines, everyone! This is a day that reflects the spirit of God in such a deep way . . . Often times, we don't stop to ponder his love as we should. Today is the perfect opportunity to do it.

This past winter camp at my church, the youth band sang a song titled, "To Know Your Name." I posted the music video from the original band below. It so accurately describes His love! "He took my place, knowing He'd be crucified . . . he loved a people undeserving."

God's love is . . . too deep for my finite mind to grasp. Why would he love me?

I am so undeserving.

Human nature is always telling us to look for what we can get out of things. Unless we get some satisfaction out of it, our flesh tells us, "you could be doing more pleasurable things . . . skip it." Lauren Lee is inconsequential to God! And yet He loves her. I can do nothing for Him. I bring nothing to the table. But the thing that just blows my mind is that He loves me because He can. He wants to be my Father . . . and He does whatever He pleases (Psalm 115:3). He doesn't love me because He can "get" something from me. In a culture that has been brainwashed with the "do what feels good" montra, we've become accustomed to a selfish type of love. A love that only gives when there's a guarentee of something in return. God, on the other hand, shows us true love.

1 John 3:1 says: "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him." We are children of God! It is an overused term that I think we have become far too accustomed to . . . Ponder it for a moment and it truly will amaze you.

My pastor gave an analogy once of a father who's son was brutally killed. The young man convicted of the murder was wretched, lost, and dangerous . . . But when the father of the victim met the murderer face to face, he takes the hand of the boy . . . and says "I forgive you. Your sins are washed away." He took the young man into his home, and treated him as a family member. He gave him clothes to wear, food to eat, and loved him like his own child.

Take a moment and imagine this happening in real life. If someone dear to you were killed, would you be willing to love the person who killed them? Why would anyone do something like that, for a murderer who has broken all standards of morality?

Lamentations 3:22 says: "Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed for his compassions never fail." Though we are the guilty ones, He loves us. He clothes us and feeds us. He has made us one of His children. And He died for us. Even though our sins murdered His son. Wow. Does this not blow your mind?? I cannot comprehend it.

Please, take some time today to meditate on this true love that we are so undeserving of. As you listen to this song, let His love overwhelm your soul. Close your eyes and remember what torture He went through, for us. And even though we killed His son, He is willing to call us his children - His adopted sons. What a loving Father!

~Lauren Lee

"Dear Father . . . I cannot understand your love. Nor your grace. I am undeserving of your mercy, and can give you nothing. Although I don't know why you chose me, I am forever grateful . . . I am overwhelmed, Lord. Never let me forget what I did to your Son - and what You did for me. Amen."

The precious blood of Jesus Christ redeems,
forgiven I’m alive, restored set free.
Your majesty resides inside of me,
forever I believe. forever I believe.
arrested by your truth and righteousness
your grace has overwhelmed my brokenness
convicted by your spirit, led by your word
your love will never fail
your love will never fail
‘Cause I know you gave, the world your only son for us to
know your name, to live within the saviours love and he took my place,
knowing he’d be crucified and you loved.. you loved, a people undeserving!