MESSY OR NOT, JUST KEEP LOVING LIKE GOD

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

1 Peter 1:22-23 (NIV)

My youngest sons' latest thing is tennis. So, we were out in the back hitting balls against the wall. It's good practice learning to get your racket in position and developing your reaction time. He started taking lessons with the local city parks and recreation classes. I figure, if he likes it he might as well learn to do it right.

That is kind of what Peter is saying here. Now that God has given you a new heart and a sincere love, don't be afraid to really love others. Maybe we hold back because we are afraid of getting hurt. It might be that you are concerned about people, even or especially Christians being a bit unloving back. 

Here's the deal. The depth of God's love for us is not based upon how we receive his love, it's just about his love for us. Think about the love of a parent. Parents love their children now how messy of an eater they are. They just keep feeding them. God loves us no matter how poorly we receive or deal with that love. And that is what we do when we love others. We just love deeply, knowing that like us, the person we are seeking to love with the love of God may not fully perceive or receive it. But, like God, we just keep loving. 

Thank you, Father, that you just keep loving me. Thank you that no matter how much I miss, you still have all the love I need. Praise be to you in us today!