Unconditional Love

We hear a lot during Advent, and throughout Lent and Eastertide, about God’s unconditional love for us. That God would humble Himself to take human form, live as a child, face temptation, allow himself to be beaten and crucified, all because of His love for us.

Simeon took (the baby Jesus) in his arms and praised God saying, “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presences of your peoples, a light for revelation to the gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” Luke 2:28-32

As a new grandmother at Christmas time, the thought of God allowing himself to be so fragile, so helpless, so non-verbal, all poop and spit and cries, seems like an incredible gift. I love babies; most people do. They evoke love and care and gentleness in us. What an amazing thing: He put Himself in such a frustrating position to show His unconditional love for us; His desire to have a relationship with us.

As much as He loves us, He asks us to love Him, and other people, in return. He loves us, but do we love Him? In a recent interview, Scott Hamilton wondered aloud if our love for God was unconditional. Do we love God because, or do we simply love God?

When I was a child, I left my mother a note telling her, “I love you very, very, very, very, very, very much.” Angered by something soon after I left it for her, I added, “sometimes.”

I fear I haven’t really matured that much since those days! Faced with horrible circumstances, grief and pain and suffering, I sometimes find it difficult to love God “very, very, very much.”

I have taken comfort in the belief that God knows what He is doing; that He knows better than I what is the best for me, for His kingdom, for the world; that I will understand better when I’m on the other side, looking back. But sometimes, that feels inadequate and denies the pain.

I have posited that I follow God, not because He is “good” (an extremely vague word), but because He is God. To not follow Him would be foolishness. But that is not necessarily love and rarely generates joy.

Richard Wurmbrand, martyr and founder of Voice of the Martyrs, speaks beautifully about loving God while being beaten for that love. I have not yet been called to such a sacrifice. My situation seems easy in comparison, but the question remains. Can I love God and hate the circumstances in which He has placed me? Would I love God even if He consigned me to Hell? Could I love God and extend His love to the world if I were as helpless and dependent as a newborn? As battered and bleeding and abused as Jesus crucified? Is my love for God unconditional?

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. I John 3:1

Children, just like He was. A baby, an infant, helpless and dependent. With our own personalities, our own peculiarities. And a baby loves his or her parents. Needs them, depends on them, gazes intently into their eyes, learning and growing in the parents’ likeness, learning their ways.

Jesus was willing to lay down His glory to become a helpless infant. Can I lay down a little of my comfort to be dependent on God? To gaze into His eyes and learn His ways, to allow Him to be “a light of revelation,” to grow in His likeness? Can I learn to love Him as unconditionally as He loves me? I pray He lets that kind of love grow in me.

Merry Christmas, brothers and sisters in Christ. May God’s love be born in you, and through you into the world.

Betsy