During wartime, a battle cross often marks the place of a soldier’s death. It may not mean much to strangers, but it symbolizes a great loss to those that knew the person who died. Jesus died on a cross to win a battle for us — but it only means something if we’re in relationship with Him. And until we have that relationship with the Lord, we’ll never be able to experience true love and intimacy in relationships with other people.

The world claims to offers us a lot of different kinds of love, but only through being born again can we experience the divine, unconditional love that God has in store for us. And when we’ve received that gift from our Father, we’re able to give it back to Him as well as share it with those around us.

It sounds surprising to skeptics and non-believers, but Christianity isn’t based on feeling — it’s based on fact. The fact is, God loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for us, and nothing we do can change the fact that He chooses to love us. In the same way, we can’t allow our faith to waver with our feelings, but instead, we can choose to believe the truth of His love as our basis for our devotion to Him.

Scripture compels us that no matter how spiritually mature we might act or feel, if it’s not rooted in God-honoring love, it’s meaningless. If God shows us an area of our lives that needs to change, our maturity is deepened when we listen and respond in obedience. Let’s examine our hearts, listen to the counsel of others, and grow in love the way Christ first loved us!