UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

A deacon friend shared a story of something he witnessed that led him to think about our relationship with God. I found it a relevant message for us all to reflect on.

He was preparing his thoughts to minister at the nursing home that houses dementia and Alzheimer’s patients when suddenly God ministered to him. He looked out in the courtyard and saw a couple in their 80’s holding hands. The husband comes every day to visit his wife. He felt he was “witnessing true love.” “What a beautiful example of unconditional love. As soon as he leaves, she won’t even know that he was here.” He continued, “At this moment, I am truly witnessing God’s love and compassion, as two hands are locked together, so peaceful. It’s like time has stopped.” The scene replayed several times in his mind throughout the day.

 

Special friends of mine, hands locked, who live out unconditional love daily, celebrating 60 years of marriage~

 

Two main questions ran through my friend’s mind thinking of this couple and our relationship with God that we can ask ourselves.

 

How many times does our Lord show us examples of true, unconditional love daily and we miss it?

In the…

…fresh start we have each day.

…person in our path who encourages us when we need it.

…kindness of a stranger.

…person who is patient with us when we are not being the best version of ourselves.

…friend who listens intently.

…children seen caring for aging parents.

 

Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands.  –Deuteronomy 7:9 (NLT)

God is love! God is faithful from the beginning of time until the end. He loves us unconditionally, even when we don’t think we deserve it.

 

Photo courtesy of Lewis_Satini under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0)

 

How many times do we fail to take the time to open our eyes to take in God’s beauty despite our Lord always being present?

God’s beauty found in…

…the gentle rain falling.

…seeing the perfect Scripture passage that spoke to your heart when you needed it.

…the innocence of a child.

…a parent taking care of their physically challenged child with love and patience.

…the phases of the sky—night, day, sun, and moon.

…someone sincerely saying, “I love you.”

 

One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.  –Psalm 27:4  (NIV)

May we daily seek the Lord, dwelling with Him and seeing His beauty everywhere we go on this earth. May our heart’s desire be to see the Lord’s beauty in all whom we encounter as well.

 

Photo courtesy of Sharon Tate Soberon under Creative Commons License (CC BY-ND 2.0)

 

Are you ready for a challenge this week?

I challenge you to daily identify at least one way you experience…

…God’s true, unconditional love.

…God’s beauty.

 

Have you experienced something recently that relates to either category? If so, please feel free to share it in the comment section below. It is always great to hear from you.

 

I listened to a video this week that offered both encouragement and a question to ponder, both of which I feel fit with this reflection.

 

 

 

You can click here to listen to the six-minute video if you desire.

I encourage you to live in the grace of God’s unconditional love as you see His beauty all around you!

 

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. –1 John 4:9-10 (NLT)