Hey friends, how are you today? It’s another rainy, gloomy day in my neighborhood.  Clouds have completely blanketed the skies. Cozy, comfortable days with a well-placed blanket bring cheer to my soul.   Days like these remind me of the embracing love of God.  I am loved; LOVED, by the God of Universe.  He loves me, oh how He absolutely, unconditionally, unwaveringly, unfailingly loves little, ‘ole’ me.  Do you know you are loved too?

It’s easy to believe in the love of God, on sunny, bright, warm, beautiful days.  But when one cold and rainy day matches into another and then another, and still another, smiles are little bit harder to find. On days like these, I hurdle very closely in the Word of God and remind myself with family, friends and music, that I am loved by the God of the universe, even though I may not FEEL it.    

Did you know that trust isn’t a component of love? Except between me and God.   In order to prove my love for the Creator, I should trust Him.  

But love requires absolutely nothing from the next person. True love loves freely. It does not come with limits, nor obligations, not even responsibilities; it needs nothing from us. Love simply loves, just because, even if and in spite of; love loves.  

Love loves because we are created in His image, love says we are worthy of love just because we exist. Love doesn’t care whether we break our promises, love says it doesn’t matter if we commit the most heinous offense.  Love is impartial, it shows no preference for the prettier and younger, or the taller and thinner. Love isn’t selective. Love says we do not have to do, we just have to be! 

 On the other hand, trust requires that we do.   Trust says, I must keep my word, I must be a woman of my word, my yea must be yea and my nay must be nay.  Trust is built on time and has layers.  Trust requires knowledge of the next person. It requires an intimate relationship.

According to trusty (yep, I did it) Google, Trust is defined as – to have confidence, faith or hope in someone or something.  Trust can also have limits; so far and no further.  Trust can be lost, and it can also be gained.  It is flexible and if bent too far, it can be broken.  It is rare for a person to be trusted completely, in all matters. 

I am rarely on time for anything, but sometimes, I arrive with 10 minutes to spare.  I have been known to break my word at times. Sometimes, it was beyond my control but other times, I chose to prioritize something else completely.  Don’t worry, I’ve lived long enough to know, that’s true for all humans.  We can be trusted in some things, but unfortunately not in everything.  

Until recently, I thought I needed to trust you, in order to love you. But the truth is trust isn’t a part of love.  The Lord requires that I love my enemies. There is a reason for the enmity, right? It certainly wouldn’t be wise to place my trust in someone, who is obviously hostile toward me.  But love them, I must, because obedience to the Word of God is exactly what I’ve been called to do, as a Christian.  They deserve my love, because they are created in the image of the Holy, Righteous and Good God, just like I am.  

Love is free from me to you. However, trust isn’t free.  It demands obligations and responsibilities from the person, in whom I’ve placed my trust.  Love doesn’t need time, but trust does.  Love tells me, I need to surrender, and I may even need to offer a few sacrifices.  Trust, on then hand, places a limit on my sacrifices. You have to be, for me to love you.  You have to do, for me to trust you.  

Love has no requirements, whereas trust has a list of requirements.  Lack of trust in someone does not indicate a lack of love for that person.  

I do know SOMEONE that can be trusted completely. He never, NO never breaks His Word.  His Word is His bond.  If He says it, it is guaranteed because of His very nature.  He is God.  He can be trusted to always be on time, because He is not limited by time.  He can be trusted to ‘supply all our needs’.  He can be trusted to protect, to provide and to always be present.  He is trustworthy in everything.  He cannot fail, it’s not part of His perfect attributes, failure simply isn’t an option.  

I also know that same Someone loves completely.  So absolutely, so thoroughly did He love, that He sent His only begotten Son to death.   Jesus agreed with His Father to pay a debt He did not owe.  Because He loved me so unfailingly, He died and rose again.  He is even now preparing a place for me and for you.  

Go ahead, love me, my friends; you don’t have to trust me. Has trust broken between you and friend or family member? How did you deal with it? How do you continue to show love to that person?