Know Love Like This: 21 Days of Discovering God's Heart for YouSampel

To the Very End

By Sion Alford

He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. –John 13:1 (NLT)

I will never forget the first time I saw her. Eyes sparkling with ocean-blue flashes. Hair dancing across her forehead and down onto rose-colored cheeks where a contagious smile seemed to give me permission to open wide my heart and hold her for eternity. I had never felt that way before. I was awestruck. I was in love. I would love this beautiful lady to the very end.

At this point in our relationship, she had never done anything for me. She had never said my name. She had never given me encouragement or said, “Thank you” or “I love you.” In all transparency, I don’t think she even knew who I was or why I was so infatuated with her.

But I didn’t care. I was dedicated to love her forever because she was my granddaughter!

What I felt for my precious granddaughter Adeline that day was not unwarranted. I loved her with an unconditional love that wasn’t based on her actions, accomplishments, deeds, or even her love for me. It was based on an unshakeable resolve I possessed that she was undeniably special, chosen, precious, and destined for greatness. I didn’t see her that day for who she was in the moment. I saw her for who she was to become!

Jesus felt the same way about His ragtag team of disciples. He had spent nearly three years teaching, training, laughing, and praying with these men. They witnessed Him healing the sick, feeding the five thousand, and even walking on water, yet they still fought among themselves for position and power (see Luke 22:24). Even at the Last Supper, one disciple openly rebuked Him, and another stomped out mad on his way to betray Him (see John 13). They didn’t deserve Jesus’ love. They had done nothing to warrant such love. But He loved them anyway. Right to the very end.

Maybe there is some kind of divine fusion between my love for Adeline and Jesus’ love for me. I loved her before she could understand or express her love back to me. God does the same. Adeline doesn’t necessarily deserve the love I have for her just like I don’t deserve the love Jesus has for me. Nothing she does in her life can cause me to stop loving her. Likewise, God has loved me during my wanderings and my rebellion, my good days and my bad ones. God has never loved me because of what I could do for Him, what I could accomplish in His name, or how I could express my love for Him in worship. His love for me has and always will be undeserved and unconditional.

So is His love for you! He loves you for who you are today and who you will be tomorrow. He loves you because He sees your future, He has plans for your life, and He knows the potential that resides in you because He put it there! He loves you because you’re His child, and He hasn’t stopped loving you because of anything you’ve done. There is nothing that can separate you from Christ’s love. He loves you to the very end!

Prayer

Father, I acknowledge that You first loved me despite my actions, accomplishments, failures, and shortcomings. I know there is nothing that I can do to deserve the love You have for me. Today, I simply receive Your unconditional love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

For Further Reflection

• Have you ever held an infant child or grandchild and felt an overwhelming sensation of love for them? What motivated your compassion and love for them?
• How are you and that infant alike in God’s eyes? How can this realization help you to position yourself to receive God’s unconditional love?
• Ask the Holy Spirit to give you a new revelation of God’s love for you today.

Holy Spirit, what are you saying to me?