Correction: REAL love changes everything. Real love transforms lives, restores relationships and adjusts attitudes. Real love provides hope to the hopeless, encouragement to the downtrodden and strength to the weary. Real love pours out grace and patience. Real love breaks into the utter darkness and showers it in light.
So what is real love? 1 John 4:10 tells us. "This is real love--not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins." The true love that can have the power to change our lives is only found in one place, in one person: Jesus Christ on the cross.
Before we were redeemed, while we were lost in the deep darkness and despair of sin, God loved us. We didn't love Him. In fact, we mocked Him and disobeyed Him - all of us, no exceptions. Even the most upright of individuals was born sinful. It is the inescapable nature of man. We are born in a broken relationship with God, living in outright rebellion to Him.
Still, His love for us never has and never will waver. His love isn't based on reciprocation. He has never needed His children to love Him first in order that He will show them love. Before we loved Him, while we were still bound for eternal separation, He made a way for our salvation through Jesus Christ. He sent perfection to cover our imperfection. He sent love to cover our hate. He sent the only One who was blameless to wipe away our rebellion.
This transaction was entirely one way. We didn't do anything right to receive such a priceless, unmatched gift. As lost sinners we received a free path out of the life of eternal separation from God. He came and paved a way for us. We didn't have to ask for it and we could never earn it. Yet, God loved us enough save us. He loved us in our brokenness and sinfulness before we ever loved Him in return.
Jesus is real love in flesh and blood. He is the atoning sacrifice that covers all of our transgressions. His love transforms us from black, rotten sinners to redeemed children of God clothed in righteousness. The blood of Jesus Christ removes the blinders from our eyes so that we can see our need for a Savior and the One who can provide that saving grace.
Real love has come in the cry of a baby and the death of a blameless, perfect lamb on the cross of calvary. The love poured out for you and I is the only real, true love. We can have it in abundance. We can live in its glorious light each and every day of our lives. It starts with our own admission that we have no love apart from Christ. We are nothing but disobedient, hate-filled, rebellious sinners without the blood of Jesus Christ. We need His gift of salvation. We are desperate for His real love.
God's love has already been poured out for us. He waits with great anticipation for His children to look to the cross and see that He loves them with a perfect, unmatched, unrivaled, unconditional love!
God is seated in Heaven loving you and I. He longs for us to receive His transformational gift of real love. When we turn to Him our lives will be changed. Our relationships will never be the same. Our attitudes will receive the ultimate adjustment. Our words will be of life. Our eyes will see in clear, bright light. God can do this work in the most wayward of sinners by the power of His love poured out through Jesus Christ.
No matter how far from His love you have wandered He has never stopped loving you. His love has and always will be unconditional. Look to Him and receive His real love. It will change everything.
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