Who does God love? I mean, really, who do you think God loves? For example, does God love you? How about your kids? Your parents? Your pets? It is easy to affirm God’s love for those that we love, right?! Now, let’s get into the tougher questions of love. Does God love your enemies? In this era of humanity, does God love those with opposite ideals? Like Democrats/Republicans? The North Koreans? How about ISIS?

Uncomfortable yet? I hope…for we often speak of love in fanciful and emotive terms. Most of humanity, if asked, would say that they are people who love others. There is a passage from the Sermon on the Mount that continues to challenge us to this day. Read Matthew 5:43-48.

Yes, the way of Jesus is not easy. In fact, if we are honest, this invitation is REALLY hard to swallow! I have heard, more times than I like, phrases like ‘God only loves people like us’ or ‘God hates __________.’ As soon as those phrases emerge, we have now conditioned God’s love (which is actually justifying our conditional love!). The heart of God is that we might live into the unity that is realized in God’s self—the Trinity. How we love is a matter of action and intent. Do your actions reveal love in this world? If not, then it is time to ask God to change our hearts to hearts of flesh that beat like God’s beat.