Holy Love

You cannot love unconditionally without being hurt. But what makes love and the grace it fosters holy is that the response of those loved doesn't matter. In fact, such hurt deepens one's love; it does not undermine it. Jesus standing on the hill looking down into Jerusalem wept because no matter how often He had loved them, no matter how deeply He had loved them, no matter how consistently He had loved them, they had rejected His love. They had refused to be wooed by the love of God. Refused to be wooed by the love of God! So what did He do? In the greatest act of love toward them went to the cross for them, loved them with His holiness, with His forgiveness, and with His broken heart. Genuine love is intentional, purposeful--the good of the other, and spontaneous. But that spontaneity is only possible because I have purposed in my heart to love as He loves, humbled my heart so that the Spirit can love through me, and submitted my heart, my will, to Him so that He might deepen my love even for--especially for?--those who reject my love; or even, worse, those who are indifferent to my love, even antagonistic toward my love. It is His love they are rejecting. But He, still, will love them until the end. He cannot deny Himself--God is love. May I know the breadth, the heighth, the width, the depth of His holy love. And by the miracle of His grace growing in my heart, may my love for others be as intentional, spontaneous, immeasurable, and unquenchable as His great love. "Little children, let us love one another for love is of God."