If you know me, you know that Chick-Fil-A’s Frosted Coffee is one of my most favorite things! I was having somewhat of a rough morning, feeling tired and worn down, and my sweet mom brought me a Frosted Coffee to work. As I was sitting there sipping on that cup of goodness, I couldn’t help but think about how well my mom knows and loves me. Mom always knows how to brighten my day and has sacrificially loved me from day one. If my mom knows me so well and loves me so much, how much more does my Father in heaven know me and love me? More than I could ever imagine or fathom! Matthew 7:11 says, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” This blog post may be a little longer than usual, but the Lord has laid these things on my heart and I ask you to please bear with me, friends!
Jesus went to the greatest length to demonstrate His love for us. Romans 5:8 says, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” What love! Before you and I ever accepted Him, Jesus decided to die for us! Just let that sink in! Jesus loves us sacrificially and demonstrated that by going to the greatest length of all to secure our salvation. Take a look at these verses that demonstrate Jesus’ sacrificial love:
- Philippians 2:6-8: “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
- 2 Corinthians 8:9: “For ye know that grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he came poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”
Jesus, knowing my every flaw, fault, and sin, still chooses to love me and love me perfectly. There is absolutely nothing you and I could do that would make Him love us more or love us less! Christ’s love is a secure love. His love doesn’t hinge on who I am or what I’ve done, but who He is! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8).
I love this except on Jesus’ unconditional love from Costi Hinn’s latest release, More Than A Healer: Not the Jesus You Want but the Jesus You Need:
“Besides the cross, there is perhaps no greater example of Christ’s unconditional love than when he washed the disciples’ feet (John 13:1-17). Judging by the events that took place that night, I believe this was the greatest act of love besides the cross. Why? Not because he washed Peter’s feet. Peter was his imperfect but bold friend. Not because he washed John’s feet. John was the disciple Jesus already loved. It was because he washed the feet of Judas. Judas was the backstabbing, betraying, conniving, thieving sellout of a so-called friend who turned Jesus over to his enemies just a short time later. He did all of this for a lousy thirty pieces of silver that he never even spent…Those hands took hold of Judas’s feet, and while the Son of God could have crushed his betrayer right then and there, he began to wash. Slowly, diligently, lovingly, the Lord Jesus scrubbed the sinful feet that would run to aid in the spilling of his innocent blood. At that very moment, Jesus was the embodiment of his own words in Matthew 5:44: ‘I tell you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.'”
As I began to read these words, conviction flooded my soul! Jesus knew Judas completely; knew he was going to betray Him, knew he was not going to love Him back, yet He still washed his feet. That is love. How much more would my love look like Jesus’ love if I loved not expecting anything in return? If I loved because He loved me first? If I loved because He has commanded me to love my enemies and my neighbors? Jesus’ love is transformational, not transactional. When you come in contact with Jesus’ love, you’ll never be the same. My heart’s desire is to be a conduit of His love.
Jesus loved, loves, and will continue to love so very well. I’m so thankful for this love and so unworthy to receive it. This love that knows what I need and when I need it. This love that completely enraptures my soul and grants me the fullness of joy. This love that looked beyond my fault and saw my need. Jesus, help my love to be motivated by the gospel, help my love to be others-focused, help me to love unconditionally, and help me to love sacrificially. Help me to love well.