Posted on November 18th, 2009 5 Comments »
Last Friday morning after driving my kids to work & school I enjoyed a delicious hot cup of home-brewed coffee in front of a toasty crackling fire together with my wife. We talked and thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company as we reveled in the fire’s warmth and the tranquility of the early morning alone together.
I’m always amazed and so happy that my wife loves me so much. I’m so far from perfect yet my wife loves me in spite of my flaws and mistakes. My mishandlings of her tender emotions at times or misunderstanding or somehow forgetting her needs. My impatience, my moods….I could go on and on. Now without sounding arrogant, I do believe I must possess a certain amount of quality characteristic that she loves and that makes her feel wonderful & loved but, I fail often and suffer from inconsistency. The most amazing thing is that she loves me in spite of my lack. That’s unconditional love!
It’s awesome when people love us unconditionally, but what is even more awesome is that God our Father loves us absolutely and totally with an unconditional love. So much so, that He pursues a relationship with us that is only subject to our agreement and willingness to interact with Him. You see, He wants you not for what you can give Him but for what He can give you. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
Now it’s up to us to respond to His love. It’s not forced nor is it illusive. His invitation to you says, “Come to me all you who are week and feeling burdened…I will give you rest.”
He knows you and loves you as if you were the only person on the earth. You are the apple of His eye! So if you are feeling like you have to measure up or be more lovable to qualify for His love, forget it. He accepts you as you are, freely and without reserve in spite of your inconsistencies and failings. He doesn’t base his love for you on your good performance either. You can’t earn His love. He’s bigger than that. You don’t want religion nor does he. He wants a relationship with you! He loves unconditionally and He is God…not a human being.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 4:45 pm and is filed under Christianity, Church Life, Community, God's Love, Love, Relationships, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Hi Pastor Mitch,
Lately I’ve been in awe of the fact that God knows me the best, and is still crazy about me! I love how your post fully went with what the Lord was saying Sunday morning. The simple fact that we are wanted. Worthwhile.
Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to your future posts.
Stacey Malleck
enjoyed this very much – Mitch-looking forward to reading this and hearing your heart!! I enjoy reading and blogging comments- the Written word is powerful- good stuff Sundays!!
I love that I can invite my friends to check out our church before they venture through the doors of our building… and they get to meet you … which is great. I am so proud of my church family and love my leaders.. they are not “control freaks” they are servant leaders.. we are so blessed…
How very true. Sometimes we all need that reminder I know I sure did.
Thank you,
Kelly
I often get caught up in self..getting through each day the best I can living in constant pain and the symptoms of which the list is too long to write.
Self
My own strength
Earning God’s love in the Kingdom
Mitch, through God’s word you continually pour into my life. I am because of God. Because of men like you who sacrifice so that I can heal, an have healed, so much. Your true, honest belief in Him and the words you share of His Truth & Light fill so many of us to bring us to His feet.
In this submission you shared something that stands out and rises up in me when I need it most:
“He accepts you as you are, freely and without reserve in spite of your inconsistencies and failings.He doesn’t base his love for you on your good performance either. You can’t earn His love. He’s bigger than that. ”
Because of illness, I am unable to perform…to give…to work in the Kingdom. I am barely able to function.
I share this because..this is where I can love in God’s world. There are others like me..feeling useless in the Kindom..feeling like they have no voice, no reason, no ability to perform..no purpose in the Kingdom.
His love urges me to rise up..to hear the WORD, not the WORLD. And I urge all those beaten down to rise with me, Hear the WORD, the TRUTH of who we are in Christ. The enemy comes like light..sounding like truth, but I rebuke the enemy and I say..discover our call to holiness (wholeness) and how God can work through us when we give Him our ‘yes’.
Say YES to His WORD..and NO to the World and the enemy therein. As Mitch so wisely stated…will you say yes???