Relentless Love
There is a Peanuts comic in which Lucy comes up to Charlie Brown and says, “I love you.” This is so out of character for Lucy that Charlie Brown replies, “No, you don’t.” Lucy repeats herself this time a little louder, “Yes I do, I really love you.” But Charley Brown has been rejected so many times he responds again and again, “It can’t be true.” In the last slide, Lucy has reached the limit of her patience and she screams, “HEY STUPID, I LOVE YOU!”
Sometimes I wonder if that’s what God has to do with us!
It is true that some people have a hard time believing that they are loved. For various reasons, they have a hard time feeling accepted, chosen, and valued.
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells a series of parables: about a lost coin, a lost sheep, and finally about a prodigal son. These stories illustrate the lengths God will go to seek us, find us, and bless us with grace and love. Even when we are stubborn or hard-headed, God’s love is relentless.
Let us pray: We come before you with open hearts today. Some of us are full of joy, some of us are depressed and hurting, some of us are celebrating, and some of us feel so far from you. But we all have this in common – we need your love to fall afresh on us today. I pray that you would rest your Spirit on each one of us – open us again to your amazing grace. Amen.
Daily Message Author: Joe Albright
Joe began his ministry in Sarasota, Florida as an associate pastor, and it was in this capacity that he worked alongside the Reverend Dr. Roger Kunkel. Roger was a colleague who became a mentor and treasured friend. From Sarasota, Joe was called to Jacksonville, Florida where he served as the Head of Staff at Hodges Boulevard Presbyterian Church. Currently, Joe and his family worship and serve at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Switzerland, Florida. Full Bio
