I deserve love by design... I deserve love, not by my behavior...
I deserve love by Jesus behavior!
I deserve what I've been designed for!
I deserve to possess what has been paid for and offered to me.
In order to receive, I must take what is offered!
If I design a car to run on gasoline, does the car deserve the gas? Certainly not by it's behavior!
It refuses to start!
But it deserves gas because of its design!
It deserves gas because of my behavior when I fill its tank with gas. (limited illustration, but we get the point)...
So, both by design and by the behavior of another, we deserve the love of God!
I am fully aware that this runs counter to much common thinking, but it does not run counter to the scriptures.
Never once do the scriptures insist that you don't deserve the love of God.
They clearly insist that you cannot earn that love by your behavior!
They clearly insist that you were designed for that love!
They also, clearly insist, that Jesus paid for you to have that love!
I was designed for it!
It was bought with a price!
Do I now deserve to have it?
Yes! Yes ! Yes! A thousand times, yes!
I may think that I deserve something and then take it without asking because I think I deserve it (stealing).
But if it has been paid for and is being offered to me, as a gift, and I need it in order to function properly, I deserve to have it!
My behavior "doesn't warrant it," but it doesn't have to.
The behavior of another warrants it!
I deserve it because it pleases the Designer to see my behavior when I have it!
Love makes me pretty! Love makes me handsome!
Religion has confused deserving with earning.
It's been a mantra in the church for so long, it's probably a foundation stone.
Or perhaps it is foundation sand.
Has Jesus ever once said anything that can be construed as "You don't deserve My love but I'm going to give it to you anyway?
There is certainly the sound of "you cannot earn or purchase My Love, so I did!"
Sure would be interesting to have a civilized conversation about this, wouldn't it?
Let's give it a try...