Conditional Belief of Unconditional Love

I think there is a tendency for all of us to carry some sort of conditional belief in our hearts.  And I believe God is actively working at reducing those conditions one by one.

When the brutally whipped, mocked and crucified Jesus they felt it necessary to deride him as well.

The chief priest, scribes and elders came and said,
Matthew 27:42 "He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him."

Let God do this and then I will believe in Him.

• For one, God is God.  He is not subject to our estimations or opinions.
• Two, expecting God to live up to our desires makes Him servant not Master.
• Three, they are the ones who demanded He be there in the first place.  Obviously they cannot make up their minds.

In what ways do we all tend to have conditions for God even after coming to faith?

• That some see Jesus as an escape from reality.  Then reality bites and disappointment sets in.
• That Christianity will solve my problems.  And I realize that's not the case unless I'm ready to start seeing myself as the problem.
• That faith is supposed to be easier and natural... yet Jesus habitually declared the opposite.

So many of us demand that God live up to our expectations.  That's the first sign of an unchanged heart.

Then there are the Marys of this world:
Matthew includes this short detail after the stone is rolled in place at Jesus' tomb:
Matthew 27:61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.

They didn't leave Him.  They loved Him.  They didn't need Him to prove Himself, their hearts were changed and their lives were different because of Him.

Even in death - they held fast to Him.

And two days later, they would experience the ultimate reward.

PRAYERGod, let there be no conditions in my faith.  Let there be no conditions in my following.  Let me no longer compare my plans to yours and to embrace yours wholeheartedly.