“God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”      Romans 5:8

What does it mean to love as God loves?  As I consider the question, I realize I’ve been doing it all wrong in many ways. God’s love is unconditional and not at all dependent upon my behavior. While I was still a sinner, Christ died for me! God didn’t wait for me to say I was sorry and living a more righteous life before He loved me. He loved me in the most extreme way ever expressed while I was still a sinner. That’s amazing love.

My love, on the other hand, tends to flow much more freely towards those who are behaving in ways I deem appropriate. Even in the lives of those for whom my love absolutely never fades, my actions often present a love that simply affirms good behavior rather than a love that is never-ending, regardless of actions. Do people experience the love of God through me, or a world-tainted, pseudo love that depends on how their actions make me feel?

Many experiences related to parenting can be applied to the rest of life.  How to love is one example, I think.  Like most parents, I am so proud of my children when they look their best and are on their very best behavior. It’s easy to show love when I’m beaming with pride! I reflect back on Easter Sunday morning pictures by our front yard tree when the children look so good all cleaned up and wearing their new clothes. I think about times they’ve been recognized with awards at school or church, or when they’ve performed well in a musical or sporting event. It’s easy to show love when we can applaud our children’s behavior.

It’s also easy to show love to our children when we recognize that they’re hurting and they really need us.  I think of the time my oldest had his tonsils removed, the time my middle child persevered through football practice with painful foot problems, the time the doctors feared all kinds of terrible things might be causing my daughter’s back pain as a toddler….not to mention the multiple visits from the dreaded stomach bug and other life-altering, Lysol-inducing illnesses which have affected our family through the years.  While my children’s behavior during these times of recovery was often less than desirable, my love for them was usually patient and kind.  It was, for the most part,  long-suffering, and it definitely endured a whole lot of undesirable stuff.   What loving parent is going to withhold love from a sick, hurting child?

Sin is an illness that affects and hurts us all. The resulting emotional and spiritual pain often leads to undesirable actions. It’s so easy to identify bad behavior in others, but we often deal only with the symptoms instead of the true illness. Could looking beyond the surface actions be the key to having more loving, Christ-like responses to inappropriate behavior? Instead of speaking critically and judgmentally of those whose behaviors need to change, we need to remember the root cause of the problem.  It’s sin.  And we are all sinners in need of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Perhaps our symptoms are different, but “there is none righteous, no not one.” We all need the love and forgiveness of the Lord Jesus Christ.

What if Christians chose to embrace the hurting people of the world and help tend their wounds with the salve of Jesus’ grace instead of focusing so much on their undesirable actions?  It’s a tricky balance, I realize, but surely there is a way.  Just as we would never shun a child who comes to us bloody and dirty after a physical fall, we should never shun a person created in the image of God who is yucky and dirty because of actions related to their spiritual fall.

How would we lovingly care for a physically injured child?  First and foremost, we would show compassion for him instead of either turning away or criticizing. Lord, help me to be compassionate and engaging to those around me who are living in unrepentant sin. Secondly, we would begin doing all within our power to help meet their immediate needs. Lord, help me recognize the needs of others around me and do all within my power to positively affect the healing process. Third, we would take a sick or injured child to a doctor for the medical care we are unable to provide. Lord, only You can heal a sinful heart. Use my words and actions to point others to You for complete and total healing.

God of perfect love, I want to know what love really is. I want You to show me. Teach and enable me to show true love to all whose paths divinely cross with mine.

End-of-the-year school events.  Graduation parties.  Wedding prep.  Church activities out the wazoo.  (I hope that’s not a bad word!)  All these fun and important celebrations happen in addition to regular life activities like work, laundry, cleaning, and keeping food on the table.  So what’s a person to do when life gets crazy?  I’m learning as I go that crazy times are the most important times to get busier in prayer.

As is the case with much of the Christian faith,  God’s instructions are incredibly counter-cultural.  I mean, really–how much sense does it make to add another activity to a calendar that’s already overflowing?  In the case of prayer, it makes perfect sense.  God says it best in His word:

“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.”  Isaiah 26:3

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God, and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:6-7

“Cast all your anxiety on God because he cares for you.”  1 Peter 5:7

For years I had the idea that quality prayer time had to mimic the habits of Benedictine Monks or something similar.  While those types of committed  prayer times are admirable and would be nice, they aren’t realistic for many of us, especially during incredibly busy seasons of life.  I’m encouraged this morning by another passage of scripture that seems to give practical, realistic ways to “pray without ceasing.”

“I will call out to God, and Yahweh himself will save me.  Evening and morning and noonday, I will muse and murmur, and he is sure to hear my voice…Throw whatever comes your way on Yahweh, and he will himself sustain you.  He will never let the righteous fall.”  Psalm 55:16-17, 22 (from Psalms by the Day, original Hebrew translation by Alec Motyer.)

Do you get it?  As my dear friend Robyn used to say, prayer should be like a phone call with God from which we never hang up.  God is present with the believer always and everywhere through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, therefore we are never alone in our struggles.  We are invited and encouraged by our Creator to give our stresses and burdens to Him.  We were not designed to carry them alone.  We are not able to adequately carry them alone.  Why do we insist on making life harder than it’s intended to be?

Almighty God,

Your love for us is so overwhelming that it’s hard to grasp.  Forgive us when we fail to embrace the peace you offer so freely, even–and perhaps especially–when life seems the craziest.  Order our steps today and everyday.  Focus the affections of our hearts and attention of our minds on you in every situation.  Teach us to lay each anxious thought at the foot of the cross, and leave it there.  Victory over stress is ours through your Son, Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit.  Help us to dwell in it, for your glory.  Amen.