Love without Limits

The intimacy of God’s love astounds me.  How does this Perfect God love without limits?

I have always been a lover and not a fighter.  I don’t like conflict and would rather everyone get along and be encouraging of one another, but there is something that pulls at my thoughts and emotions which turns my actions into anything but pure love.  In fact, the closest I seem to come to this agape love is based all on condition, whether I feel respected and loved in return or an attitude of “is there something in it for me”?  Only when these conditions are met will I truly love selflessly.  And I trick my mind into thinking this is modeling God’s love.

What a fool I am to think that love based on control could ever be considered pure in His eyes.  I want to love selflessly, but I want it to be easy.  I want to love those who have hurt me but I want an apology so I can forgive them.  I want to give freely of my time and resources, but I want to do so in a way where I’m not inconvenienced.  In fact, I think I could pinpoint my lack of selfless love to one fleshly desire: control.  I want and seek control.  I want to live in a Utopia, but I want it to be MY Utopia, not yours.  We’ll talk and laugh and get along perfectly in MY Utopia.  Only topics of my interest will be discussed and only activities which I am confident in will be done in MY Utopia.  Talk about selfish love.

But God’s love is selfless and knows no bounds… no limitations.  And His love is not controlling.  He allows us the freedom to operate in His love however we choose.  If I want a heavy dose of His love and seek His face daily, He gives freely what I seek.  If I want a small dose to help in a time of need, He delights that I came to Him and gives me His love and encouragement.  Are there consequences to not asking for more of God?  Yes.  Just as there are consequences to limiting His love for us to only when we need His help.  But He still loves unconditionally, without limitations.  His love doesn’t control or manipulate us.  It allows us the freedom to operate freely in His love.

I want to love like that… selflessly, freely, and with no bounds.  I want to love as Jesus loves, without limits….