Love at FIRST Sight

I love Jesus.  I know He loves me.  Yet, after decades of loving Him, I am still trying to wrap my head around the idea that He loved me first. 

When I met Kurt, my husband, for the first time I didn’t love him.  Our first exchange was just a handshake and a smile.  But something caught my heartstrings.  It wasn’t until after our first date a few months later, that I was hopelessly, head-over-heels for him. I knew I’d marry him even after that first date, which totally went against my personal moral code.  Yet, my love for him wasn’t at an instantaneous completion.  I still grew and am still growing in love with him each day.

When we bought our first home as newlyweds, there wasn’t much to love.- except the glass doorknobs. It was dated and needed numerous repairs. We worked hard on that first house, making it a home. I was constantly looking on real estate sites with the hope to move from the constant house projects, but I soon found that our first home grew on me. We outgrew that little place, but due to all the first memories and hours of hard work, I have a genuine fondness for that home. 

As I carried my children, I loved them from the start. But, the first time I held my each of my four babies, I loved them even more. It was an unexplainable feeling. How could I already love them based on a non-reciprocated emotion?! The irony is, I somehow felt my love for all those firsts was substantial enough in strength, but my love for my husband, children and situations actually grew stronger over time.   

Jesus isn’t delayed in His affection for me. He loved me first.  And His love is complete. It is not conditional.

Long before I ever accepted Him as my Savior, He loved me first.

Despite what He knew already of my actions when I was 15, He loved me first.

Despite how I can “forget” to read His love letters to me, He loves me first. 

Despite when I doubt Him, He continues to love me first.

First Corinthians 13:4-8a is a well-known passage often read at weddings.  (Hey, it was even read at my wedding!) The context in which it is written however wasn’t for nuptials. It was to encourage the early church how to love each other as they used those gifts taught about in I Corinthians 12 and 14. The way the church is called to care for others is only reflective of how we first experience God’s great love. 

Read the passage and let your heart melt into the mold of which we were called to love. 

“Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up. Love never stops loving.” (TPT)

I am still learning how to comprehend His great love.  As I look to Him, I learn from His deep care for me and how I, in turn, can then love others.  Regardless if it easy or not, I still must choose to love. We are commanded to love our neighbor as ourselves. We are also commanded in I John 3:23, “And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His son Jesus Christ and love one another as He gave us commandment.”  It is easy to love others when we follow His perfect loving example.

As I doze off to sleep at night, I often think that the Creator of the Universe is seated beside my bed watching over me as I sleep.  He is counting my hairs, even noting my thinning eyebrows, (Luke 12:7).  His thoughts for me outnumber the sands on the shore, (Psalm 139:17-18).  This image causes me to remember when I would sneak into my children’s nursery once they were sound asleep.  I would peer through the crib rails to watch them breathe and study their cute little face.  Even now, as they are awkward teens, I still tenderly peek in on them at night.  My heart swells with love and pride.  I guess I can understand, in part, how God loves us. Yet, I know the picture of His affection is so much more than I can grasp! He really is wild about us!

He sings over you.

He quiets you.

He knows when you sit or rise.

He thinks you are funny.

Rest your head against His chest today, listening to His ever-beating heart for you, and thank Him for loving you first. 

“We love Him because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19