What would it take for me to quit loving someone?

Would a friend’s betrayal do it? How about a person’s continued false reports about me? Or a formerly-faithful individual turning his back on God and/or my home congregation? Perhaps someone engaging in some sort of terrible sin?

Jesus had His twelve disciples, all of whom fell far short of “deserving” His love.

And yet . . . .

“Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end” (John 13:1).

Even John. Even Peter. Even Judas.

Oh, please, let His enduring love continue loving through me. Even those who don’t “deserve” it.

Plans, ambitions, hopes, visions, dreams — sometimes they shrivel, sometimes they die.

Until they die, they cannot produce new life and fruit.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (John 12:24).

And yet, how bitter is that death!

So I hate it and I resist it. I avoid it and try to outwit it.

Strange? Well, natural, anyway.

May God bring life, fruit, and glory from these dead and buried (but still strongly cherished) seeds.