"How much will it cost?"

As someone who is usually careful with his money, that's a question I ask a lot when someone proposes a new restaurant, new activity, or a trip. There's no such thing as something for nothing...and in a number of instances, the something you give can get you a lot less in return - in either quantity or quality or even both - than you expected. I reason that I can only spend the money I have once, so I had better get a good value out of it.

Things would be different if everything in the world was free. I'd have been to Europe and toured the old castles and the museums there. I'd go to all the sporting events I wanted. I'd have a nice house with great furniture and a beautiful golden retriever to play tug-of-war with. But other people expect things from me in return for all of this, namely, money.

For the other things that I want, I pay in different currency. If I want friends, I have to pay in kindness and humor. If I want love, I have to learn what her love languages are and speak them to her. If I want a promotion, I pay for it with hard and intelligent work. For everything in this world, there is a price...

...Except for the thing we want the most: unconditional love. We all want...no, need...to be loved, to feel that someone cares about us more than we even care about ourselves. Someone who knows every last one of our faults, sins, and weaknesses and doesn't sweep them under the rug or deny them, but loves us in spite of them. Someone we can be our true selves around, broken and bleeding when we're hurt, exuberant, dependent, in need - anything.

Sometimes, though, it's so hard for us to accept when it's offered to us.

Here's what I mean: God loves us, more than we love each other, ourselves, or could even imagine loving ourselves. His love is pure and without ulterior motive because - and this is important - we have nothing He needs. He wants our love, but even that helps us more than it helps Him. But we don't accept it, probably because we can't even believe it.

Most Christians seem to do ok with this concept in their minds. "Yeah, God loves me no matter what. How amazing!", they sing a song, listen to a sermon, and go on their way. Get this concept in your heart, though, or at least try to comprehend it on a fuller level. It could go something like this:

You: God, I have some confessions. Today, some guy cut me off on the freeway and I cussed at him.

God: I love you.

You: I also stole some office supplies and then looked at porn when I got home from work.

God: I still love you.

You: But I started shooting heroine.

God: I love you.

You: And I think I might be gay or at least bisexual.

God: I love you.

You: I got into a fight at the bar last night and beat someone so severely they're breathing through a mask right now in ICU. His knee may never heal and I've just changed his life forever.

God: I love you anyway.

You: I hate myself!

God: But I love you.

You: I hate You, too! You do nothing for me and it feels like You hate me and my entire family! Give me one good reason why I should listen to anything You have to say!

God: I will always love you.

Nothing, not a single thing, can make God stop loving us. He may punish us as a good father punishes his children, but even that is done because He loves us and not because He doesn't, as we so often assume.

And He wants to help us in our struggles. I think our problem is that we simply don't believe He loves us. We can't fathom a love that deep and free. "God can help me in this, but will He? I'm just me. I'm no Moses or Abraham or David. I have no kingdom to run. I'll just have to figure it out on my own." I've said something similar to myself before. I've believed God doesn't love me because He didn't answer my prayers the way I wanted Him to and that He never would care about a single request (read: demand) I made of Him.

The Bible, though, says that without faith, it is impossible to please God, that we first must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11, where the above is found, goes on to list some of the giants of faith in the Old Testament. Why do we believe that God loves them more than He loves us? These people listed weren't perfect. Jacob was a conniving little jerk, swindling his brother out of both birthright and blessing. Noah got so drunk after building the Ark that he passed out naked. Abraham took matters into his own hand and had Ishmael outside of God's will. Moses killed a man and was a coward when God first called him. And Rahab was a prostitute. They were sinners, just like we are. But they believed in God, not just that He existed, but that He truly and deeply loved them. They accepted that love and He showed Himself mighty with miracles that we still discuss today, some 3,000+ years later.

The Bible says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8. The same God Who loved and cared for His people then is alive and well today and loves you every bit as much as He loved them.

He sent His Son to die for you. Why do you keep thinking that He doesn't love you enough to help you with your current struggles and trials? He may not answer them the way you want, but He will be there, day by day, giving you strength and hope and encouragement and, most importantly, His infinite and free love.