At some point in our lives we have all met someone who we just loved with all our heart. They were someone who filled our lives with joy and empowered us to move in ways we thought were only part of fictional novels. This person could have been a loved one, a friend, or just a significant other who just brought a sunshine into our lives to pierce the darkness. We have also had times where we thought we found the one or we had the best friend ever, but then the next minute they are gone. Absent and void from our lives. We are left alone holding pieces quickly trying to put them back together. Grabbing at each shard trying to stitch each piece through the tears and sobbing heartache. Questioning how someone who we loved so much could just not love us back, how could they cause us that much pain and leave the spot void where they once were. Maybe its the death of a family member that leaves that heartache and void spot. Maybe it was a sister, a mother, a father, a grandmother that left and we just don't feel the same. See I don't mean to take you down this emotional path, but I need you to truly feel and understand what this message has to convey.
Why does it hurt so much when we lose a loved one? What does it mean to love unconditionally? What does Jesus say about love? Why should we go through the heartbreak? What does it mean to love and be loved? What is love? Is love an emotion, a walk of life, or just a chemical reaction? Why does no one love me? Why am I never good enough for love? Can love be bought.....?
At some point in time we have all asked at least one of these questions. Some of them have easy answers and others have answers we don't wanna hear. See to get a better understanding of this whole concept we need to relate it to something we can understand and feel deep down. We have all had a love of a mother, a sister, a friend, a father, a brother, a grandmother, a grandfather, or just someone we were close to. They were someone who made each darker hour just bright enough to keep us from giving up. Maybe it was their stories that brought you joy as a kid, maybe it was their famous cookie recipe, or maybe it was just the glint in their eyes when they smiled and hugged away the pain. This person brought to you an emotion we all describe as love, but it wasn't just an emotion or a chemical reaction in your brain as some may say. Because if it was you wouldn't hurt so bad when they left you. It is a physical pain we feel when we experience a love so great that we can barely withstand the thought of losing. It causes actual pain in our bodies and grieving is a physical and mental process we go through. Why do we go through this? What is its purpose?
There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (John 15:13 NLT)
When Jesus took on all your sins and my sins He did it out of love. A love so unconditional that we can't even fathom it. See God's heart burned with pain when main fell slave to sin and we were robbed from His presence. We were created in His image. We were to remain in His presence and to fellowship with Him. From the day Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden of Eden, God longed to bring us back and He personally paid the price and bared that! He laid down His life, the life of His only begotten son. It was God Himself who bore the weight to break the bonds so that His spirit may dwell within you when you are sanctified in His holy name! See when Jesus came on the scene He didn't love because He had to and He didn't love because it was a chemical reaction. It was a walk of life! He chose and desired to love each and every person that came His way. He chose to love each person who mocked Him, to love each person who spit in His face, to love each person who beat Him, to love each person that called for His death, to love each person who whipped Him, and to love each and every person who didn't even believe. This is the life he has called each and everyone of us to. He never said it would be easy but He did tell us to love everyone just as He loved us.
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. (John 13:34 NLT)
See I have a personal example of a person in my life who lived this commandment out each and everyday. She's part of the reason I'm writing this to you and part of the reason I have the strength and courage to do so. My grandmother (NeNe is what I called her) passed away February 24, 2018 and it has been a hard year without her, because she taught me so much about what unconditional love looked like being lived out. She grew up during the Great Depression and knew what a hard life was like. She was born and raised in church and though she never got anything more than a 8th grade education, cause she had 17 brothers and sisters to support, she never let that hold her back. This was a woman who always cared about others and would literally give up her last dime to someone in need cause she'd rather go without than see someone hungry and suffering. Her husband was a pastor and she always put God first in everything in her life and she never asked for a bit of glory. She fed the neighborhood children even when she barely had enough for herself and her own kids. She was selfless up until she took her last breath. There wasn't a day that went by where she wasn't trying to help someone out who just couldn't make it. She would pray and encourage them through each valley and mountain. Even in the hospital when she was severely sick and ill she would refuse to complain because there were people around her who were worse off. She apologized for bothering nurses and asked them to take care of other patients ahead of her regardless of how terrible she felt. This was a woman who passed away without a penny to her name, but let me tell you this, she had a heart of gold and she inherited riches in Heaven beyond belief. She may have struggled to walk on Earth but she's dancing on streets of gold with a mansion and many crowns! Why???? Because she was willing to make unconditional love a daily walk in her life! She embodied the love that Jesus had for you and me when He hung on that cross. She never did it for her own praise but rather to glorify God in all that He does.
That's the kinda love we all need to have and share. It didn't matter who did her wrong, who mistreated her, or how much money she had. It was about how can she spread the love of God to each and every person she came across! If we had a little bit more of that in our lives we wouldn't have so many people hurting or feeling unworthy every single day. There wouldn't be so much depression and suffering, because I can tell you when you got someone who will love you for all the bad you did you can't feel depressed, sad or heartbroken. I almost despise the saying that love can't be bought, because I have a savior and His name is Jesus and He bought and paid your debt in love. Your sanctity with the Father and the ability to enter into His presence was bought and paid for. Don't tell me love doesn't have a price cause I am going to remind you back to Calvary when my God hung on a cross and shed His blood for each and everyone of us!! To abolish all sin!!! His love is the reason you're breathing, His love is the reason you woke up this morning, His love is the reason you have joy, His love is the reason you're safe and sound, His love is the reason you can accept His mercy and grace!
I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. (John 15:9 NLT)
My NeNe is the reason this page and community was inspired. She wanted to reach the world and show the love of Christ to every person, because He is so willing to give it! She wanted every orphan, homeless person, battered and abused person to know what it meant to be loved. What it meant to have the love and joy that Christ had given her. She wanted everyone to join her at the great feast in heaven and I know that she is up there saving as many seats as she can cause she never gave up on anyone. She was a prayer warrior like no other. I challenge you to love like she did, like Christ did. Help her legacy and His love to be carried on through you! Don't be afraid of the heartbreak because it just means you are loving with every inch of your soul. The heartbreak is the scar that reminds you that no matter how much that person rejected you, you still loved them to the ends of the Earth just like Christ loves you and me. Let us be the generation of unconditional love. A remnant generation that loves every person, regardless of their situation, with no limit. Selflessly. Carry the cross and wear it on your sleeve so that everyone can see the love of Christ in you!!!
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