There is much said about God’s unconditional love, as there should be. God loves us, no matter what trouble we are in, how many problems we have (be they self-inflicted or not), and no matter how “unlovable” we may be.

There are some wonderful verses which illustrate this truth. One is familiar to many; John 3:16. This verse states that God loved the whole world so much that he sent his son Jesus to die, that ANYONE who would follow him could be forgiven of their sin, and have eternal life in Heaven. Romans 5:8 implies that this was done even while our minds were only on our sin, and not on our need for forgiveness. Finally, 2 Peter 3:9 says that God’s desire is that NO ONE would miss heaven, but wants all people to repent of (turn from) sin, thus realizing eternal life in Christ. There can be no doubt about God’s deep, abiding, limitless love for ALL people. HOWEVER….

While it’s true that God loves all people, and desires to save them from sin, his blessings only come by his plan. As he is the creator of all things and all people, things simply work better when done his way. If a person wishes to experience heaven in the future, and God’s blessings in the here and now, there are conditions which accompany those things. Things like denying our plans and desires, and following Jesus (Luke 9:23), loving God deeply and being committed to his purpose (Romans 8:28), and not depending on simply “doing good”, but seeking a true relationship with Jesus (Matthew 7:21-23).

            God’s love is unconditional. His blessings are not. Many of God’s promises in the Bible contain conditions which must be fulfilled in order for us to see them manifested in our lives. The fact is, we cannot expect God’s best until we give him ours. If you desire HIS everything, you must be willing to give him yours. 

Mark Nickles is a husband, father of three, and a pastor in Northeastern Oklahoma. Copyright, Mark A. Nickles.