Love Without Expectations
Life is hard.
People are harder.
"Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." - 1 John 4:11
We aren't promised an easy road. We are simply asked to love and serve God with everything we've got. Love without boundaries. Love without expectations. Love without end.
To listen to People Need the Lord (Grace Notes), click here.
To listen to The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus (Grace Notes, click here.
It’s not what you get out of and from others. It’s what you give and how you pour out your
heart.
Friends are benefits; bonuses. You don’t serve God with expectations. You don’t stay up till midnight texting a
desperate soul, or show up on doorsteps with gifts, to gain friends in
return. Serving others is something we
do because we love God. He knew we’d
break our hearts and marvel at the unreciprocated love and devotion we
find. But broken hearts are
beautiful. God can only use the broken.
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." - Psalm 51:17
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." - Psalm 51:17
I think of Jesus. He
loved me a billion times more than the most devoted lover ever could. Yet I betrayed Him, repeatedly. He never gave up on me, though. He pursued my heart. He loved me with His entire being. He breathed out the wind and shook the earth
with thunder. He dusted the mountain top
with snow – trillions of intricate, unique shapes and spirals – and swirled the
oceans to form waves. He did that to get
my attention. He sang me a love song in
creation and gave me every flower on earth.
Because He loved me. He literally
gave me the world. Yet I ran from Him
and betrayed Him. And still He loved me.
"In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him." - 1 John 4:9
"In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him." - 1 John 4:9
My job is to reflect the image of my Savior. To do that, I must love with all abandon and
expect nothing in return. I must love
even when I am betrayed or ridiculed or despised. There is a never an end. I cannot say, “I will stop loving you if you
don’t reciprocate in x amount of years.”
It’s not algebra; there are no variables.
I have been forgiven much; therefore, I must forgive much.
"And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses." - Mark 11:25
"And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses." - Mark 11:25
I have been loved much; therefore, I must love much.
"Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." - 1 John 4:11
To listen to People Need the Lord (Grace Notes), click here.
To listen to The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus (Grace Notes, click here.
I really enjoyed reading this :D
ReplyDeleteI'm glad, Laura!
DeleteThis is a beautiful post, Grace! I totally agree with everything you said. We really need to cherish the relationships we have. Thanks for the encouragement! :)
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome, Hope! I'm glad it was a blessing.
DeleteThis is so true and heartfelt! I need to work on this more. Thank you for the encouragement! <3
ReplyDeleteLeona, thank you so much! I felt like my thoughts were a little discombobulated, but I actually took a lot of it from what I had written in my journal, so it is definitely something very close to my heart right now.
DeleteThis i such a great post, and SO true! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for reading, Rosy!
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