By Pastor Mark Jordan
“God told them, “I’ve never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love, and more love!” (Jeremiah 31:3, MSG)
Ethan had a mic-drop moment the other night at dinner. We were talking about an issue prevalent in the church over which widespread disagreements were occurring. Ethan asked, “Don’t we believe in unconditional love, dad?” I said, “Of course.” He then replied, “So what’s the big deal?”
This brought to mind an amazing exchange that took place in Acts 15:10. The Disciples, in the Council of Jerusalem, were debating circumcision. As the gospel was being spread into gentile territory, and particularly for grown men, circumcision was essentially a non-starter for initiation into the Christian church. But since Christianity started with Judaism, there was a question as to whether circumcision should be required to be Christian. So the Apostle Peter, who was leading the movement at the time, had these beautiful words, “Don’t we believe that we are saved because the Master Jesus amazingly and out of sheer generosity moved to save us just as he did those from beyond our nation? So what are we arguing about?”
God loves you with an everlasting love, and will never quit loving you. He longs to save you and share eternity with you in heaven. Everything else falls a distant second to that fact. There is no other prerequisite to following Jesus, except in accepting God’s love for you. Once you know that, you can’t help but share that love with others!
That’s the unconditional love of God we believe in and are called to live into. God gives it to you and asks you to give it to others, even when it’s a challenge. So let’s turn that challenge around…how might you show and share the love of God with someone today?
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for your unconditional love for me. Forgive me for not showing it to others. Help me, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
