1 Corinthians 13:5 "...[Love] does not demand its own way..." God doesn't demand his own way: Isn't it fantastic that God doesn't just force us to do what he wants? It is amazing that his wonderful plan includes people freely coming to him and rejoicing in his love and beauty!

The gift of free will that God has given us may be difficult to understand, but it is definitely a wonderful gift. Unfortunately, God's gift to us also has some negative implications if we decide to go our own way and take God out of the picture. How can a God that is all-powerful and all-knowing decide to give his creations the ability to go bad?

An explanation that has helped me to better grasp this aspect of God is this: I really don't see a chance for real love to exist if God were to have made it impossible for us to not love him. If we have no other option but to love him and do good, we are simply machines created for God. I believe that in order to really be able to love, we must be able to choose.

Thank God that through his grace we are able to love him not because he demands it but because we can do so wholeheartedly! Please pray with me today that we will be able to have the same kind of selfless love for each other and for God!

Everett