Life in our world today hinges on the opinions of our peers. If one of them rejects us, it's the end of the world. But for Christians, being necessary or needed shouldn't matter. God doesn't need us; we are not in any way necessary to him. And yet he wants us. We are important to him even though he doesn't need us. And nothing we can do can change that. Because, unlike every other person in existence, God doesn't care what we've done. He doesn't care if we're the most famous person in the world or a hermit living in a cave. As long as we have trusted in his Son's death, he loves us. Forever.

In fact, not only does he not care about worldly success or possessions, these trivial things do not even enter his mind. Because his love is based on something more than us and what we can do. His love is absolute. It just is. Like him, it is not limited by the forces that govern our world: things like time, space, or anything, for that matter. 1 Corinthians 13:8 says, “Love never fails.” Or, in another translation, “Love never ends.” We have put limitations on Love by using it flippantly and in situations which are inherently perverse and in direct opposition of its true nature.

But true Love, the love that God has for us, knows no bounds. It is perfect. It is patient, kind, does not envy, does not boast, is not proud, is not self-seeking, keeps no record of wrongs, does not delight in evil, and rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. It never fails. When you really take all of these attributes into account it becomes abundantly clear that no mere human could ever possess a Love such as this. This Love is something beyond us, something too amazing and perfect for our mortal minds to comprehend. And yet it is bestowed on us by the only Being capable of possessing it. This Love which we cannot even begin to understand is shown to us every day, every moment, in spite of everything we have done wrong and regardless of everything we have done right. How can we even begin to appreciate it if we can't understand it?

Perhaps we will never be able to appreciate this Love completely. But we can appreciate how completely and totally incomprehensible it is. And once we appreciate that, we may treat it with the reverence and respect it deserves. But most importantly, we may give thanks to God for that which we do not understand. For if we could understand it, it would not be worthy of God's giving, even to creatures as lowly and finite as humankind.