A wealth of knowledge cannot earn me love.  My best laid plans and cleverness are impotent in manipulating adoration.  The respect that I gain from a job well done does not guarantee the love of my colleagues.  My monetary wealth simply assures that I have something which must be constantly attended, it does not make me eligible for the love I have been missing.  A wonderful physique, personality or astounding beauty fails to enhance my chance of being loved by one iota.  A loving Father does not demand love from his children for he fully understands that love is a choice on the part of the giver.  That is the nature of God’s gift to humanity, that we may accept His love for us in our darkest moment and “choose” to love Him back.

If you hate Christ then you will also choose to hate me.  If you cannot forgive then you have chosen to hate.  If you cannot love God for who He is then you have chosen to love your own view and understanding.  If you cannot believe the truth of the Gospel message then you have chosen out of skepticism or rebellion the need to make of yourself a graven image acceptable for your particular worship.  A child does not love out of duty but out of choice emanating from a open heart.  I want them to love me, but why?  Is it truly necessary for them to love me in order to serve their need, to sacrifice my time, treasure and talent for their comfort, health and safety?  Or may I love them simply to honor God?    Do I fully understand the inherent foundation of choice built into true love?  For if my wife, kids or family love me out of duty, obligation or relation do they truly love me?  If I love them and they never love me what then should be the price, if any, for this absent love?

Can I build and maintain intimate relationships where there is no bond of love?  It is unlikely that intimacy will ever be present in a relationship where the choice to love was declined.  If someone, out of free will choice, determines that they do not love me, can I, should I or could I ever change that circumstance in the affirmative?  Again it is unlikely, as that would again require love to be something that may be earned by my own performance.  Since, love is a choice on the part of the giver it may not be given as a reward for effort.  Doesn’t that mimic salvation?  We cannot earn salvation for it is freely given and thus accepted out of choice.  Odd isn’t it that love and salvation share this similarity?  Or is it odd at all that God’s Grace and Love are entirely the same thing?  He loved us so much that He gives us the choice to accept His Grace and Love Him in return and that freely given love leads to an intimate relationship.

We know that there is a major difference between asking someone for a favor and demanding that they do something on our behalf.  I love God because I choose to Love Him.  He certainly is worthy of my love but that is not why I love Him.  I serve God because I have chosen to love Him and feel that this is the greatest demonstration of that love.  God showed me the meaning of love.  I can love my family fully completely, sacrificially, just as Christ Loved us.  It is their choice to love me back.  Those who do not love God will never get to know Him intimately.  I loved my Earthly Father but once I got to know him better my love increased.  That is the enhancing nature of intimacy, fellowship and relation.  Love grows as we give ourselves to its shaping hand.  Oddly again that sanctification shares this similarity, that it grows over time as we volunteer to the Potter’s Hand.  For intimacy with God is sanctification through Love, the love of God for us and we for Him that transcends the limitations of this world.  I choose to love you and I hope that you choose to love me back, for if you choose to love me then it is highly likely that you have already chosen the Love of God.

May you be blessed all of your days by the Loving Grace of Almighty God through Christ the Saviour of mankind.  May the Holy Spirit fill you with love and good will toward men giving you power to aid in setting them free from worldly bondage.  May God’s Word tumble from your mouth as you seek to plant seeds for the Kingdom.  May you always be filled with knowledge of God’s steadfast love and the choice that you made to follow Him.  May those around you choose to love you, giving you the gift of intimacy with those you love.  In the precious name of Jesus.