Dear Doves,

 

As I have grown in knowledge of God and attempted to walk in truth, God has revealed himself to me in wonderful ways.  When I was growing up, I saw God as a vengeful God just waiting for us to step out of line so he could swat us.  I now see a loving God who is a better father to his children than any earthly father can imagine being.  The more we allow his word to transform us into his image, the more clearly we see him as he truly is.  One of the greatest revelations that he has given me is of his unconditional love for his children.

 

I have always been a performance oriented person.  I have striven to excel in everything that I have attempted and I have taught my children to do likewise.  Even though I love them, I have been disappointed in them when they didn’t put forth the effort that I thought that they should.  We can’t all accomplish the same things, but we can all put forth our best efforts in attempting whatever we try to accomplish.  One day, as I thought on my lack of accomplishments in the ministry, I was very disappointed in myself.  I was feeling like a total failure due to all of the opportunities that I had blown in the ministry because of my lack of patience with others and unreasonable expectations.  I felt that God must also be very disappointed in me when I heard the Holy Ghost say, “David, I love you regardless of whether you ever accomplish anything.”

 

What a liberating statement!  I immediately felt the love of God overflowing me and just melting me.  God didn’t love me any less because of my failures, and he wasn’t going to love me any less should all the rest of my life be a failure.  I am loved and accepted like I am, not based on what I have accomplished or might accomplish.  All of a sudden, I knew the love of God in a way beyond anything that I had ever imagined.  It is an unconditional and complete love.  He can’t love us any more or any less.  I don’t want to abuse the knowledge of his unconditional love, but just the opposite, let that same love flow through me toward others.  I’ve got a long way to go to actually walk in unconditional love toward others, but it pleases him that I am trying and the transformation process doesn't happen overnight.

 

Romans 12:1-2  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

 

Before we can demonstrate unconditional love toward others, we must accept it ourselves.  Just knowing that God loves you unconditionally will help you see others in a totally different light.

 

"freely ye have received, freely give"

 

David Robinson