A Love Unlike Any Other

I was at my desk busy at work when the Lord broke through my thoughts.

"I love you, son."

I turned in my seat to face a large window. Outside the trees were lifeless in the hot summer sun. My eyes traced the brick apartment just feet away starting from the top floor up to the majestic, cotton-white spun clouds.

"I love you, Father," I whispered.

Then somewhere deep in my heart, there was a constriction, a mild squeezing then the tension relaxed. It came from a question that often tugged at the corners of my mind, "Why would you love me?"

Some weeks ago, I was walking with my wife into church. At the time she was struggling to walk for nearly every bone in her body was in terrible pain. A woman passed us by and said, "God loves you." I smiled and nodded my head in agreement. She continued to make her way toward the church doors when she suddenly turned her head, "Really," her eyes fixed on me, "He really loves you." It was then I felt my heart constrict very much like at the office.

John 17:23-24 says, "I in them and you in me--so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world"(NIV).

Jesus is loved by the Father and with this same love, He loves us! The love is not condition on my life's story marred by failure, sin or even moments marked by victories and blessings. It's hard to grasp a love so pure, so strong and so unlike what we have experienced through relationships.

Why would He love me and you? The Lord's love toward us is most demonstrated by His death and resurrection as an obedient expression of His love for His Father.

Jesus loves me and you for not what we can bring or do for Him. As He's loved by the Father so Jesus loves us with same measure regardless to our condition. May we enter into the Father's love and for His love sake, love each other.