January 13.
Not Because Of

Revelation 1:5

…Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.

I’m shocked when I read the text because I didn’t have much to bring to the table. I didn’t have much to give him, for him to love me. Most people love “because of.” Whenever somebody tells you they love you, keep listening; they will tell you why. It is always a “because of.” I love you because you look good. I love you because you treat me nice. I love you because of how you talk. I love you because of how you act. We even send cards now and write on it, just because. And of course love now is based upon “because of.” And if there is no “because of” it’s not much love.

Jesus’ love is different from that. He doesn’t love us “because of.” We had nothing to give Him. I mean he would have been better off if he had left us where we were. I had nothing to present to Him. I was a wretch undone; I was filthy. Neither was I fit to live nor was I ready to die. And the text says he didn’t wait until I got right to love me. Romans 5:8 says, “… while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” It meant he loved me in my mess. He loved me at my worst stage. He loved me because he knew he could take nothing and make something. Whenever God looks at us, he sees a diamond in the rough.

There was a man who had been very prosperous and successful with all the finery that any man would ever want in life including clothes, cash, cars, commodities and comforts. However, he had a son that was severely asthmatic. The boy spent many nights in bed and in the hospital because of the asthma. But his father loved him and spent many nights by his side. Not “because of” his strength, abilities, or charming personality, he loved him because he was his son. This is God’s love toward us.