He Loved Us First
We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
“If I pull my own ticket, I might have to keep that cross.” It was the end of our monthly church women’s luncheon, “First Friday Feast” and we always have wonderful giveaways for the women who attend. I was in charge of announcing the winners and the next prize was a cross with the words, We love because he first loved us, written on it. Because I’m a co-founder of this ministry, I don’t allow myself to win prizes too often but the words on this cross were symbolic for me.
In my life, I didn’t understand how to deeply love others until I attended a very special retreat thirteen years ago. I had been hurt too many times and had built up a wall around me that I thought could not be penetrated. I was strong and determined. No one would hurt me again.
However, at that retreat, I realized how much God loved me through the selfless acts of others. There was so much love flowing throughout the weekend through people’s prayers, gifts, servitude and presence that I was on a love hangover at the end of the retreat. Many of those who loved on me didn’t even know me, but through God’s power, they were still able to express his love.
You see, they loved because He first loved them.
Afterwards, I finally understood God’s amazing love, and the hard shell I encased myself with to prevent any more hurts and pain, began to crack as the Creator’s love seeped through.
It is easy to love the loveable, but it is God’s love that enables us to love the unlovable. When we don’t have God’s love flowing through us, we don’t see others as God sees them and we judge people based on our own human analysis. If they are cold or difficult, it may be that they have also built up a wall around them to protect themselves from further hurt or pain.
` God has now given me a love for all people, especially women. I want to encourage them. I want to connect them with others. I want them to feel the love of God like I did on that retreat so they can discard their bitterness and rage and replace it with compassion and mercy. I want them to understand they too can love because God loved them first and gives them the ability to receive love and to love others.
It was a risk to open myself up to love freely again. What if they don’t love me back? I had to remember that God’s love is unconditional. While it’s nice, I don’t have to have someone’s love in return.
As it turned out, I didn’t call my own ticket number for the cross, but I did announce a friend’s number and she gave me the cross. It was her act of love to me and I was elated! I will now proudly display it on my cross wall as a reminder that God has always loved me, even before I realized it myself.
Love is not always easy. The Lord tells us we are to love our enemies, that included the man who molested our son. But how is the question. The Lord taught me that the love for my son was greater than the hate for his molester. Forgiveness came a little easier when I realized the emotional attachment that was holding my son. Blaming himself because I was hurting. Gods gift of forgiveness from me to the offender released my son to forgive himself and his offender. It didn’t mean he went free but we were no long his captive. I learned a valuable lesson then and I have to ask, do I love my Lord more than I hate my enemy. Their problems and sins are Gods business, not mine. I am called to love the person,not what they do or who they are. It is only possible when we accept Gods love into our own lives.
Brenda, Thank you for your comment. I have to share with you something our pastor said today in his sermon: “If you want to learn to love better, you should start with someone you hate.” It’s easy to love those who are loveable but the love of Christ extends far beyond that!
Christ love is far beyond anything we can imagine. We serve a mighty God.