The Love He Has...

Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.  Genesis 29:20

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be loved like that?  If you know the story, you know that Jacob actually served fourteen years so he could have Rachel as his wife.  Her father had agreed to give Rachel to him after seven years but deceived him on his wedding night by giving his older daughter instead. Rather than responding in hostility for being duped, he agreed to serve another seven years, just for Rachel.   He loved her that much!

I don’t know about you but there are many times in my relationships that I don’t feel loved like that, much less love like that myself.  My love seems so conditional at times as does the love of those that are close to me.  I feel loved by my father only when I am making good choices.  I can’t believe my husband didn’t put the laundry away after everything I do for him.  Surely he doesn’t love me as much as I love him.  I don’t want to hug my child because he has made me so incredibly mad that I can’t even look at him much less love him right now. 

What about you?  Do you withhold love or do others withhold it from you when things aren’t perfect?  Do you struggle to understand what unconditional love looks like?  Would you be willing to serve basically as a slave for fourteen years for those that you love?  I am not sure that I could.

But here is the truth… Jesus did so much more than that for us and he would have done it just for you if you were the only person on the planet.  Being a slave for fourteen years, while it seems grim in comparison to the one day my husband didn’t put the laundry away, it seems like a simple feat compared to what Jesus endured for love.   Not only did he come to serve in the name of love he came to die in the name of love. And die a gruesome death at that.  Slavery for the love of one woman was a nothing in comparison to the love of Christ for you!

Dear Lord.  Help me to grasp the vast, unconditional love that you have for me that I might be able to love others the way that you love.  In Jesus name.