Why is it hard for us to Love?

It is really hard to say given that we have someone who loves us so much.  God knew us before we were born.  He created us with every special detail.  He made us beautiful and in His image.

He knew before He created us that He would sacrifice His own life for us.  He knew before He created us that He would die a brutal death on a cross but He created us anyways.  He was in love with us before we were born.  He didn’t care what it cost to have us, to be with us.

He knew we would break His heart. He knew we would reject Him. He knew we would choose other things, much less important things, over Him. Things that would hurt us. Things that would lie to us. Things that would imprison us. Things that would cause us pain. But He still created us.

Why? Was He hurting for people to worship Him? Was He desperate for attention? Did He need someone to tell Him how wonderful He is? Did he need someone to live His life through? Did He need help taking care of the first days of creation? The birds, the fish, the fields.

If we weren't there to worship Him the rocks would cry out. If we didn’t exist He would still have the angels all around Him, worshipping Him, singing Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty. They didn’t question His existence. They didn’t worship other things. He had no need to create a people that would. But He was in Love.

He loved us even though we were of no use to Him whatsoever. He pursued us even though He knew we would turn away from Him. He forgives us over and over again. He chases us, comforts us, and rescues us. He doesn’t force us. He doesn’t pick favorites.  He doesn’t ignore the broken. He befriends the outcasts. He touches the unclean. He makes time for those in despair. He finds the lost. He heals the sick.

We were lost. We were broken. We were in despair. We were pursued. We were comforted. We were forgiven. We are adopted. We are chosen. We are loved. So why is it so hard for us to Love? Why is it so hard for us to forgive? Why do we feel the need to pick favorites and label the outcasts?

Should we not love because He first loved us? Should we not forgive because He forgave us?  Or pursue because He pursued us?

“Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.” Ephesians 5:1-2 Mess.