April 25
April 25
Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV) 3 The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.
During my first two years in college, I focused more on enjoying college than I did on learning. Even though I was failing one class after another, I did not change. However, realizing that one of my classes was required for my degree, I decided to apply myself more than I had been. Well, since I was doing very little up to this point, doing more was still not enough. My grades were falling so I decided to seek my professor’s help. I explained how much I needed to pass this class. After listening to me, he gave me some makeup work and suggested more meetings with him. Unfortunately, my old habits continued to demand my attention. I did not complete the makeup work, but I did keep my meetings with my teacher. I had hoped he would have mercy on me. Finally, he told me that our meetings and my final grade were not related. All the meetings in the world would not improve my grades.
As we worshipped this past Resurrection Sunday, the overwhelming love of Jesus washed over me. His love for me was so great that He gave His life to redeem my life when I was throwing that life away. With that revelation, I realized that His love and my actions were not related in any way. For a long time, I felt that the more good I did, the more He would love me. Conversely, if I messed up, His love would lessen. When I realized that He loved me unconditionally when I was walking in darkness, I understood that we can do nothing to increase His love for us or diminish His love. His love is not tied to our behavior; it is tied to His heart. When we turn from the darkness and enter His light, we can better comprehend His everlasting love. Therefore, we are to stop trying to earn His love. Instead, we are to accept that love and seek His help in loving others the same way. Nothing can ever separate us from His everlasting love because He is everlasting (Romans 8:35-39).