October 10, 1993, a typical afternoon in Iraq as mom and I made our way to a small church house. Little did I know this is where I would experience true unconditional love for the first time; a love that’s unlike any other. This is the afternoon where my life changed forever; this is when I gave my life to Christ. I experienced what the scripture says about God’s love and how it has breadth, which means his love includes everyone, every gender, every race, every faith, and every stage of life.
I love my husband and daughters so very much, to a point where it hurts, but it doesn’t even compare to how much my God loves me and how much He loves you! His love for us is so deep, he was willing to sacrifice his one and only son, all so we can be saved, so we can experience joy, and by believing in him, we have eternal life. It is humbling to know that Christ wants to live in me (us), when most times I don’t even want to live with myself.
God’s love is so broad, it includes EVERYONE. God loves me. God loves you. God loves people we don’t know. God loves people we don’t love.
Love is in the air this time of the year, with pink and red heart decorations everywhere, candy and flowers for your significant other. It is challenging at times not to get sucked into all that Valentine’s Day entails. But for some, this day is a reminder of loneliness, a reminder of not having someone to share it with. We all yearn for human connection, the need to be completed by another person.
The one true love that will never disappoint or leave you lonely is God’s unconditional love. We tend to interchangeably hide from God, yet we so desperately long to connect with him at the same time. My prayer this week is that you feel the love around you, whether it’s from learning to love yourself, from a significant other, or embracing the unconditional love offered by God.
“God loves us, not because we are loveable, but because He is love.” C.S. Lewis