God’s Love is Reckless

Our love is not. Our love has a lot of limits. As soon as I become uncomfortable, I let go of love. As soon as choosing love demands a genuine sacrifice, I let go of love. As soon as love stops making sense, I let go and return to whatever does. You know what they say: when the going gets tough, call your mom and get a ride home. This kind of lackadaisical ‘love’ is so common in our lives that we can forget how reckless God’s love really is.

God’s love is not lackadaisical. God’s love does not make sense. God’s love does not have time to make sense. God’s love does not have time at all.

All Love is a Gift from God

Before we give love, we receive. First, we receive the love of God who created us and who created the whole world out of love. For years, we are not even capable of loving other people as an act of our own will. We receive the love of our moms who carry us in their wombs for nine months. We receive the love of our parents and babysitters who shove spoons in our faces and splash us with cold water and wipe our time-bomb butts.

For YEARS we are in a position where we can only receive love. Yet, parents certainly seem to receive something from their children that certainly seems a lot like love. In fact, it is love. The joy of beholding an infant is a gift of the love of God. Babies do love their parents, not because they are capable of loving on their own, but because they share in God’s love.

Well, guess what? We’re no different—we are not capable of loving on our own, but we are capable of sharing in God’s love.

This is good news. When we try to love on our own, we’re going to give up when we become uncomfortable, or when love demands sacrifice, or when love stops making sense. When we share in God’s love, we can love recklessly.

Reckless Love Lyrics

Before I spoke a word, You were singing over me
You have been so, so good to me
Before I took a breath, You breathed Your life in me
You have been so, so kind to me

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights ’til I’m found, leaves the ninety-nine
I couldn’t earn it, and I don’t deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah

When I was Your foe, still Your love fought for me
You have been so, so good to me
When I felt no worth, You paid it all for me
You have been so, so kind to me

And oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights ’til I’m found, leaves the ninety-nine
And I couldn’t earn it, and I don’t deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah

There’s no shadow You won’t light up
Mountain You won’t climb up
Coming after me
There’s no wall You won’t kick down
Lie You won’t tear down
Coming after me
There’s no shadow You won’t light up
Mountain You won’t climb up
Coming after me
There’s no wall You won’t kick down
Lie You won’t tear down
Coming after me
There’s no shadow You won’t light up
Mountain You won’t climb up
Coming after me
There’s no wall You won’t kick down
Lie You won’t tear down
Coming after me
There’s no shadow You won’t light up
Mountain You won’t climb up
Coming after me
There’s no wall You won’t kick down
Lie You won’t tear down
Coming after me

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights ’til I’m found, leaves the ninety-nine
And I couldn’t earn it, I don’t deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah

Check out the acoustic version of this song on YouTube.

If you were at Steuby STL this past summer, you almost certainly heard the song Closer by Lifepoint Worship.  Maybe you really connected with that song this summer.  But what about now?  How do you continue to live those lyrics 3 months later?

The song Lord I Need You by Matt Maher beautifully expresses that moment when we step back and realize we can’t do it alone anymore. We must rely on God.

When Adam Bitter introduced the song “Overwhelmed” by Big Daddy Weave at the Steubenville STL Mid-America conference last year, it was no wonder this song was an instant favorite among the participants. An awesome drum beat, combined with a melody you can belt out at the top of your lungs, always makes for a great tune! However, what I like the most about this song is how the artist marvels at God and His works.

Incorporating Praise Into Your Prayer

Sometimes when we are praying, it can be so easy to spend all of our time asking God for favors and telling Him about all of the things in our life that may be hard. While God loves when we bring Him our everyday trials, it is so important to take some time just to praise Him for all that He is. Our God is an awesome God!