^“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” - John 15:13 (NIV).

A young man was desperately in love with a girl, or so he thought. But his love had actually turned into some sort of monstrous jealousy. He kept trolling her, trying to make sure she was always in his grasp and there was no chance for a rival. He always found a way to get into her phone to unlock all her secrets.

The problem with this approach was that the more the young man tried to control the young lady the more she turned her away. Eventually she withdrew from him altogether. This made the young man so desperate, and he thought of doing her harm that he had to be taken for counseling. There he was told that “if you love someone you must let them go! What is yours will always come back to you.”

Such is God’s love for us. It is not a controlling love. God’s love for us has let us free to go about anywhere we hazard, just like the prodigal son (Luke 15: 11-31). He lingers back waiting for us to return at any hour. Then His arms are all outspread for us, happy to be back home.

Prayer for today: Lord Father in heaven, today I pray that I grow in the knowledge of your unconditional love.