"...but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory....Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who LOVE Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:6-9)
I think God loved ALL His creatures unconditionally at first sight - angels, animals and mankind. He could not have done otherwise because He IS love. Because God is also omnipotent, He had a plan before He created which assures that every object of His love will eventually respond to that love joyfully and unconditionally. They will love Him back - forever. He will be "All in All" - everything to everyone. If not in this age, then in the next. He has the ages to work out His plan, and He has all the patience of a perfect loving Creator and Father.
I have known a few people (mostly women) who seem to love unconditionally. Almost at first sight they realized it and felt it. They literally fell in love. I am not one of those people. It is not that I have not, or do not, love at first sight. It is just that I do not recognize it immediately like some do. My wife Sue Ann has told me that she loved me almost at first sight. Loving someone that way makes you vulnerable to getting hurt by those like me. I am so thankful that she continued to love me until I started paying attention - long enough for me to finally realize my capacity to love was there inside me. Her faithful love for me finally resulted in the response such love deserves. My love for her is now felt by me and directed at her joyfully and unconditionally, and that makes me vulnerable. I am not sure what I would do without her. She could really get even for those years I wasn't paying attention, ha!
"...and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross." (Colossians 1:20)
"For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet... When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to Him who put everything under him, so that God may be All in All. (1 Corinthians 15:22-29)
I think God loved ALL His creatures unconditionally at first sight - angels, animals and mankind. He could not have done otherwise because He IS love. Because God is also omnipotent, He had a plan before He created which assures that every object of His love will eventually respond to that love joyfully and unconditionally. They will love Him back - forever. He will be "All in All" - everything to everyone. If not in this age, then in the next. He has the ages to work out His plan, and He has all the patience of a perfect loving Creator and Father.
I have known a few people (mostly women) who seem to love unconditionally. Almost at first sight they realized it and felt it. They literally fell in love. I am not one of those people. It is not that I have not, or do not, love at first sight. It is just that I do not recognize it immediately like some do. My wife Sue Ann has told me that she loved me almost at first sight. Loving someone that way makes you vulnerable to getting hurt by those like me. I am so thankful that she continued to love me until I started paying attention - long enough for me to finally realize my capacity to love was there inside me. Her faithful love for me finally resulted in the response such love deserves. My love for her is now felt by me and directed at her joyfully and unconditionally, and that makes me vulnerable. I am not sure what I would do without her. She could really get even for those years I wasn't paying attention, ha!
"...and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross." (Colossians 1:20)
"For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet... When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to Him who put everything under him, so that God may be All in All. (1 Corinthians 15:22-29)