Intimacy with God (II) Unconditional love

I am told that the Hallmark card company one time, had gone into a certain prison and given away mother’s day cards for mother’s day. So many of the men wanted cards, that they ran out. When they tried the same for father’s day, it didn’t work, there were very few takers! The love of an earthly father it seems, is not unconditional like many a mother’s love, and not like our Heavenly Father’s love! I also know of a mother who turned her son in, and then went to visit him every day in prison. This love is unconditional too, and is in fact deeper than a “love” that enables, a “love” that covers for a him, thus enabling him to escape responsibility for his actions. As you can imagine, the relationship was somewhat strained for a while. Part of what I am trying to say here, is that unconditional love needs at times to act in such a way that may not feel like love to the one receiving it.

The mother’s love in this story is deeper, because she knew that unless and until her son took responsibility for his actions, he would continue in behaviour that was destructive both to himself and to those around him. These things always impact more than just ourselves, we do not sin in a vacuum! Of course, God’s love for us is even deeper than this mother’s love, and so include His not being an enabler. In particular He has designed reality in such a way that there are negative consequences to poor decisions (Galatians 6:7). Most of us have to come to the end of ourselves, to the place where we truly see that life is not working, before we become willing to change. In my own life, I became desperate enough to turn to and surrender to God. I became as a little child trusting God that He knows best, and to be willing to allow Him, not only to show me the right path, but also to correct me when I had gotten off it (Hebrews 12:6).

Similarly what needed to happen in the relationship between the mother and son in the above story, is that he needed to humble himself, and to open his eyes to see that his mother was only doing what was in his very best interest. Only then could there be an intimate relationship between mother and son. It’s the same with us and God. You see you can be in prison and be free, and you can be out of prison and not be free, caught up in the negative consequences of our choices. But if as little children we enter into a submissive obedient relationship with God, then through what He did on the cross, the Son will set you free, and you totally will be free (John 8: 31, 32, 36).

Father, when my sons were little I remember well how they always wanted to be with me, were eager to please me, were very teachable and did not sulk when I needed to correct them. They knew that I loved them. If my sons could be like this with me, an imperfect father, how much more does it make sense that we can have an even deeper intimate relationship with You who is perfect. And in this state of surrender we do indeed cry out Abba, daddy, Papa (Romans 8:15). We love Father because You first loved us (1 John 4:19), in particular, again when we surrender, we love You in response to Your extravagant healing love. Thank You Lord, thank You Lord, thank You Lord in Jesus name amen