Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. Eph. 6:24
Dear Lord Jesus, this one little verse says it all. It carries so much weight, so much glory, so much hope. Why have you made us? Why have you redeemed us? That we might love you with an undying love—with never-ending affection and unabated adoration.
Your grace first enabled us to love you and your grace alone will fuel our love throughout eternity. It’s only because you loved us by your death that we can love you in this life. It’s only because you love us with an everlasting and unwavering love that we will love you forever and forever.
You didn’t lay down your life for deserving friends, but for rebels, fools, and idolaters—like me. O how incomparable your compassion; how inexhaustible your mercy; how immeasurable your generosity! You love us, you have freed us from our sins by your blood, and you’ve made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God and Father forever (Rev. 1:5-6). Jesus, please make the familiar sound of these words come alive with holy passion and fresh delight.
Your love for us is the one constant in our lives. Everything else changes. Everything else is subject to whim and fancy. Our brothers and sisters in heaven are more happy than we are, but they are not more loved. This is our peace. This is our joy. This is our hope.
But we own and grieve the fact that our love for you ebbs and flows. We are weak. We are easily deceived into thinking your love is not enough. Don’t let us ever get used to this. When our affections for you cool, may it bother us much more than anything else.
If by the Holy Spirit we hear you saying to us this morning, “I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first” (Rev. 2:4), may it be received as a kiss from heaven; for it means you are pursing us, you love us, your desire is for us, your banner over us is love. That you are jealous for our love is the greatest compliment you could possibly pay us.
Jesus, breath fresh grace into our hearts, that we might love you this one day as you deserved to be love for eternity. So very Amen we pray, in your tender and glorious name.
