Did you know that love is an emotion that really isn’t natural? Little babies are born with an instinct for fear and anger, but they are not born with love. When you frighten a little baby, he or she will jump and cry and get angry, but that child doesn't have love.

You see, love is learned. It's learned from the holding, the nursing, the caring, the singing, and the warm touch of a mother and a father who take care of the child.

Love is modeled. And the greatest model of love is Christ, who gave his life for you. Whether you are worthy is not the issue, any more than it's the issue for the little baby. That little baby you hold in your arms, you just love that child as she or he is — scared, angry, hungry, temperamental — no matter! You just love that child!

And isn't that a beautiful description of how God loves you ... just as you are?

In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:10 NRS)