Today’s Word Is UNCONDITIONAL

Having God’s unconditional love does not mean you have God’s unconditional approval. – Pastor Miles McPherson, former NFL player

While attending seminary I found a stray puppy one day and decided to rescue her. She was brown and black and fuzzy, possibly part German Shepherd. I took her home and fed her. Then I put her in the sink and cleaned off a lot of fleas and dried blood. Next, I took her to the vet to get rid of parasites from her bloated stomach and to give her immunizations to protect her future health. I named her Ginger, and eventually had a friend come forward who wanted to adopt her and give her a permanent home.

Here’s my way of saying what Pastor McPherson is trying to get at: ”God loves you just the way you are. But he loves you too much to leave you the way you are.”

Some folks interpret God’s unconditional love as requiring nothing in the way of change or improvement. They would contend that if God loves me the way I am, he’s not going to make me change or do anything. I am what I am. What you see is what you get.

But think of this … Suppose I take in this stray puppy but do nothing to “fix it up.” I tell my friends about my new puppy, and that she is really cute and lovable. So, they come by to see this little rascal but are astonished at her sickly appearance. Obviously, they would think that I didn’t care very much about its well-being. They would, in fact, think that I was cruel to take it in and then let it suffer through fleas, worms, sores, and malnutrition. If I really loved this puppy, then taking it in is not enough.

In terms of the love of God for us, being “saved” is only the beginning. When I took in Ginger the puppy, unconditional love was at work. I gave her a home when she was lost, unclaimed, and belonged to no one. That was her “salvation.” But that unconditional love also led me to nurse her back to health by fixing what was wrong.

God loves you unconditionally, which means he wants you to come home to him, but because he loves you unconditionally, he also wants to work on what is not healthy in you. Those of us who are looking for change and transformation can be encouraged today that it is available. God will meet us where we are and take us where we need to be. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

In the case of this helpless puppy, I took charge and worked on her problems. However, in our case, when God takes us in, and by his grace and our confession and faith, we receive salvation, God is not going to force us into change. We are not animals, but humans with a will and a choice.

So, yes, “God loves us as we are, but he loves us too much to ignore us and leave us like we are.” He lets his desires be made known, offering to lead us into health and well-being. He does not demand that we change or force us into it. He waits for us to want it and to seek it and to seek him. This is the way to life as we are intended to live it.

God in his unconditional love saves us and then leads us through the changes we must make to become the person we are intended to be. This is a life-long process. We may need to remind certain people what the unconditional love of God is really like – He loves us like we are, but he loves us too much to leave us like we are.

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

(If you’re interested) … The Miles McPherson Story: The man behind the Pastor

Born in Brooklyn, New York, in March 1960, the second oldest of five children, Miles McPherson was raised on Long Island in a strong family. After excelling in football throughout high school, he attended the University of New Haven, where he majored in engineering. McPherson was the university’s first player to achieve All-American honors in football and be drafted into the NFL. Strong athletics run in the McPherson family; Miles’ brother, Don McPherson, was a Heisman Trophy runner-up in 1987.

Miles played four years in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers from 1982-1985. It was during this time that he developed a cocaine addiction that found the NFL star in a tailspin as he began feeding his habit.

After his second season in the NFL and after a weekend-long drug binge, he called out to Jesus Christ, accepted Him and stopped doing drugs in one day. This turnaround put him on the road to becoming a pastor.