Loving is not easy. At least not for us humans. We basically love according to what pleases us. When that thing or person no longer pleases us, we tend to withdraw our affections until such time as we feel our needs are being met once again. And, should we not find our needs being met, or that person failing to meet our expectations of how we should be treated, then love and relationship is severed.
So, for the most part, we all love on a very shallow basis. It is tiring, and leaves you feeling uninspired and intimidated. I believe this is why we struggle receiving God's love. We equate our style of loving to His, and there can be no comparison.
There are some who do take advantage of the love we offer. This causes us to be cautious as to whom we give affection to in the future. This is human nature. It's sad.
We have days where we "feel" unloved. We haven't heard from a particular person in awhile, nor have we had anyone really express a genuine love towards us. These emotions can be devastating if not dealt with.
I think about how God demonstrated His love. In the book of Ephesians, it is stated that while we were dead in our trespasses, Christ died for us. The word "dead" means one who has no divine life within them. They are a walking body of sensual feelings, but no spiritual life whatsoever. They have no interest in godly matters, and are totally consumed with their own needs and desires. In other words...selfish to the max!
God loved us then! He had no guarantee than any one would ever receive or reciprocate back to Him, the love He was sending through Jesus Christ. He loved anyway. He did not throw out the crumbs of love, and then sat back to see if we would respond. He abundantly POURED love towards us while we were spiritually dead because love is what drove Him.
Wuest explained it as "love responding due to the value it placed upon us". God placed a value upon us. It is called "appraising", like someone would do to a fine piece of furniture or priceless jewelry. We had NO value to God in ourselves. He PLACED a value on us. He sought for us, when we were running from Him in an opposite direction.
He loves us that way today. He poured His love upon Christ Jesus, Who then poured that love upon us and became our Mediator between us and God. Jesus, then bore everything that would keep us from God, and became the Door in which we could enter to have a relationship with God as Father. He made us right with God so that we could receive the love of God, so that God could give us His Life, and so that we could have eternal, everlasting fellowship.
I fail God. You fail God. God never fails. His love NEVER turns off due to our disappointing Him. Jesus is called Living Water. His love is a free flowing stream that knows no end. How He does this is beyond me. I allow myself to get hurt by people's lack of love towards me. I know I must hurt others when I do not show them the genuine love of God.
The solution has to be knowing God's love in greater ways, so that it influences, overrides, and inspires my response to others. I have to learn to place a "value" on people apart from what they can do for me. I have to learn again, every day, that the most wonderful experience I can seek after is understanding God's way of loving. I Corinthians 13 is the Love of God manifested.
"Father, I pray today for that heart that is lonely and hurting. Through the power of Your Holy Spirit, draw them to that place today where they will fix their attention upon Your Word. You will open the eyes of their understanding, and they will be able to forgive those who have hurt them. Then fill them UP with Your Presence, so that they will realize how much greater knowing Your love is than any other. In Jesus Name...amen!
Loving Him (first) and you,
Charlotte
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