Agape

I went into the prayer line again the last evening of the Healing is Here conference.

They put me with a kind-hearted minister named Robert with whom I immediately felt at ease. I had come with my laundry list of friends to pray for but all that came out was, ‘I would like God’s help moving from my head to my heart.’

Then, the crocodile tears began again. I’ve cried more at this conference than I have in my entire life.

The minister lovingly took my hands, and we prayed while he shared that one of the purposes of the Christian life is to simply let God love you.

As he shared this truth, I started to feel the first embers of God’s unconditional love for me.

After that prayer, I went out into the lobby and talked with Jeremiah Klaas, my favorite Healing Journeys Today teacher.

Jeremiah was a biker who belonged to a violent gang. He was addicted to drugs and alcohol, and eventually ended-up with multiple sclerosis. He tried to kill himself but instead ended up on the doorstep of the Salvation Army. There, he had a supernatural encounter with God that helped him walkout his healing with the Lord.

If Jeremiah didn’t share his story, you would never know his past because he is one of the most peaceful, loving and down-to-earth people I’ve ever met.

He told me he no longer chases after God or healing. He just allows God to love him. In fact, he talks and jokes with Jesus all day-long like a best friend.

Jeremiah’s love for God was so palpable that it stayed with me.

When I finally listened to my Bible school lesson (I had put it off due to conference busyness), I was reminded how perfect God’s timing is.

I needed to…

• Hear Barry’s guidance on allowing God to lavish His love on me (Deuteronomy 7:9)
• Pray with Robert about moving from my head to my heart, casting all my cares on Him (1 Peter 5:7)
• Witness Jeremiah’s intimate, loving relationship with God (Matthew 22:37-38)

… before I was ready to hear our lesson on how Jesus unconditionally loved Peter through his failings.

Peter tells Jesus he would lay down his life for Him; And, when asked by Jesus, repeatedly professes his love for Him. (John 13:37, John 21:15-17)

But Jesus tells Peter that he will deny Him three times (John 13:38). Then, in the very next breath, Jesus says:

Let not your heart be troubled…I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself. (John 14:1,3)

Can you imagine Peter’s reaction? He has just been slapped in the face by Jesus’ telling him he will deny Him.

But then Jesus says he does not care. His love for Peter is unconditional. There is no sin Peter can commit that will change His love—or Jesus’ plan to live with him in eternity.

What this tells us is we are all going to miss the mark. (Footnote)

But God will still love us. In fact, if we believe in Him but remain complete screw-ups, he will not love us any less.

Now, here is the good news (gospel). When we embrace God’s unconditional love for us, then we effortlessly change. Instead of pain and lack, we experience the fruit of the spirit—love, joy, and peace (Galatians 5:22)—and abundance above all we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20).

So, the next time I fall into my old habits of over-thinking, over-controlling, forgetting something when I’m in a rush, feeling not good enough and liking a man who isn’t a match for me—instead of self-condemnation, I’m going to unconditionally love myself the way God loves me.

This will effortlessly return my heart to God’s agape (love) and restore me to His righteousness and holiness (wholeness).

Footnote
The Greek word for sin, hamartia, means to miss the mark, to fall short of one’s purpose.