Love Unlocked - Martin Wiles

Series: Love Unchained

This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 1 John 4:10 NLT

Things went well … until I received the error message.

What better way to keep a five-year-old occupied while paying a hospital visit to see my brother than to give him an iPad and let him watch videos or play games? And that’s what my wife and I did. He was happy, and so were we … until the error message appeared telling us the device had been locked. Somehow Apple had perceived that someone had stolen the device, so they locked it. Unless I knew my password for my particular iTunes account, I was in trouble. I was in trouble.

A call to Apple didn’t help. They could unlock it, but wouldn’t unless I could provide proof of purchase. For a three-year-old device? Who keeps receipts for three years? Not me. My wife called the retailer from whom we had purchased it. Unless we could tell them the amount we paid, they couldn’t help. Nor could … or would … Apple. My iPad is now what’s called a “security brick.” Good for nothing but to sit on a shelf and look pretty.

Thankfully, God doesn’t lock up His love like that. As Jesus states, God’s love is all-encompassing: For this is how God loved the world: He gave^] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). God loves the world He made, and He loves everyone He creates to live on it.

But God’s love is also selective. He loves all, but He doesn’t enter into a personal relationship with all. Many choose the wide path and reject the sacrifice John says God made on our behalf. When they do, they lock up God’s love relationship with them. God knows the password … and willingly offers it to us … but we have to use it through our belief in Him.

God’s love is active, too (Romans 5:8). He acted on our behalf by allowing His Son to pay our sin debt. Although the sin debt is paid, the payment isn’t credited to our account unless we ask God to apply the payment. Once I receive God’s love, my love for others will show actions as well. God’s love will flow through me to others.

God wants you to receive His love so you can experience life as He planned for you. Call out to Him now.

Prayer: Father, we receive Your love. Thank You for making such a sacrifice for us.

Tweetable: Have you unlocked God's love?

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