Love, Without Condition

Our week in the mountains was one filled with relaxation, remembering why I fell in love with Luke (that very first time) and rest. However, there was one predominant theme throughout the entire trip. I remembered why I fell in love with my God (that very first time) all over again.

I remember the first time I truly understood that I was important to the Creator of the universe. I can't tell you where I was, or what I was doing, but I remember the humbling, earth shattering feeling. I realized that this God, the One that made the heavens, stars, earth and everything within it loved me, with abandon.

He chose to love me, before I was ever lovable, and sacrificed more than I will ever comprehend just so I can spend eternity with Him. Just typing those words makes tears well up in my eyes. He cares so much about me. This week I was reminded of that time and time and time again.

During my quiet time one morning, He made sure I understood just how much. I was flipping back through a notebook that I keep that is partially full of notes from sermons and Bible studies. I found some notes from Romans Chapter 8:31-39. It grabbed my heart, once more. Since I stink at journaling (hence one of the purposes of this blog) I did not date this original "journal" entry. My guess, from other notes and such, is that I originally wrote it around Thanksgiving of this past year. Here is what I wrote (Edited only with brackets so that you can follow my jumbled mess. It's a little all over the place):

Although I am so full of sin, this sin that makes me feel as if I'm unworthy to even approach the Throne [of God] and ask for forgiveness~I know that since I have the spirit within me - there is nothing that I can't humble myself before God and make right. There is nothing I can do or have done to deserve it anyway [God's forgiveness], so I should approach, repent and be cleansed. Because God gave his Son, why wouldn't I think that there is anything else He would spare to give me all I need (v 32).

(v33) God himself gave me the right standing with him. Although I feel so far from Him right now, I am told that nothing, nothing can separate me from His love (v 38-39).

As I stood in awe of the beauty of untouched nature this past week, God reminded me again, just how much He cares for me. Tiny, inconsequential, speck of the universe...ME

I watched water rush over rocks and sticks and dirt. I saw that each rock, both great and small, was perfectly placed so as the water rushed over it, true beauty was shown. I saw tiny buds of life beginning to form on frozen limbs. I witnessed the peace of a roaring stream and I allowed my soul to get lost in the majesty of a forest.

You see, this same God who so carefully placed each rock, drop of water, tree and branch, He also, with the same care, placed me here and crafted me with even more delicacy. His love for me poured out so richly, so that I too can reflect His majestic glory. As I soaked in all of The Maker's craft, I was reminded of Matthew 6:26.

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

Yes, He cares for me so much. And if He took this much time to carefully design and create the beauty of nature, how much more must He love me? The answer was breathtaking. Each rock and stream so meticulously placed for our pleasure. His love is so abundant and I am so humbled.

And, the most surprising part yet?

He loves you, and me, just the same, whether we choose Him or not. His love is not conditional. He is beckoning us to love Him, to the best of our sinful ability, so that He can reveal Himself to us piece by piece, drop by drop and moment by moment.

In the peace of the woods, I thought about this post. I thought about the words I would say, hoping to convey the love that I saw, so elaborately displayed for all to see. And, I prayed. I prayed for each of you, reading this, that you would be touched to your core. That you would taste and see for yourself. That you would realize, if you haven't ever before (or maybe realize all over again, as I did) just how much He loves you and that He is beckoning you to come and feel the power of a love, without condition.