Photo Credit: Diana Simumpande.
In 1967 the soft drink 7Up began calling itself the “un” Cola. The advertisers wanted to drive home the point that while 7UP is a soft drink it is unlike and not to be confused with other soft drinks on the market, particularly Colas. They wanted consumers to know that in many ways 7 UP is a better choice because it doesn’t contain caffeine as Cola type drinks do; the healthcare industry having determined that caffeine is detrimental when consumed in large quantities. Hence the term Un Cola.
Now, I’m not trying to say that God is like 7UP but when I hear “un”, I think about God’s love for us because it is UN-conditional, UN-wavering and UN-ending. Firstly, God loves because it is His nature (I John 4:8). The clearest evidence of God’s unconditional love is the Divine rescue of His rebellious and sinful creation by the atoning death of Jesus on the cross. Romans 5:6-8 indicates that God did not and does not wait for us to better ourselves as a condition of atoning for our sins and our sinful nature. If we had to do something to earn God’s love and forgiveness that would make Him no different from us and the ways in which we humans deal with each other and place conditions on our love. We sometimes make others jump through hoops to earn our love and/or to prove theirs. Not so with God, He GIVES love because He IS love.
Unwavering means steady, steadfast, constant, relentless. That describes God’s love to a “T”. Psalms 103:11(ESV) tells us that God’s steadfast love is as high as the heavens are above the earth. God’s love is not wishy/washy or sometimey. His love is not subject to His moods or our behaviors and there is nothing in this world that can cause Him to not love us anymore (Romans 8:35-39). God’s love has no end. It is, it always was and it will always be (Jeremiah 31:3, II Thessalonians 2:16-17)
I find this is very encouraging!! Even when we mess up; and we will. Even when we don’t always get it right; and we won’t. Even when we say and do things that are completely antithetical to His way, His word and His will; HE STILL LOVES US. Now, this doesn’t mean that when we are out of line that He doesn’t convict, chastise and correct us, because He does. But even that is a demonstration of His love. He is our Heavenly father and what parent doesn’t want the best for their children? What loving parent doesn’t want their children to live a life of joy and peace and fulfillment? Sometimes in order to achieve that desired outcome tough love is required; both in the natural and in the Spiritual.
But fear not, God isn’t this angry, vengeful being sitting on His throne just waiting to pounce on us. He is the one the only one whose love is unconditional, unwavering and unending. And when we commit our lives to Him, His word and His will, He gently sets us on the path which leads to that abundant life that Jesus speaks of in John 10:10. I know I want that, how about you?
THROUGH THE STORM 