In Love?
How do you know you are in love?
All is right with the world, sweaty palms, nervousness, great and elaborate joy, can’t get enough of each other, separation is painful, you tell everyone about this person! Sound familiar? Ever happened to you?
Is this love? I say, yes, or the start of it….
Then comes the everyday stuff. Some of the very things you found endearing, now drive you crazy. Your deep and abiding dear heart’s attention to detail does the financial books and it’s a relief you don’t have to because they don’t miss a thing. Whew. But now they want to know where is the 23 cents they can’t find and you don’t have all your receipts. Maybe you have a laid back lovely that is easy going, nothing bothers them and it’s refreshing. But wait, that same easy going love is always late!
Is this love?
It sure is. It’s learning to accept the differences. Oh by the way, for most of us, when we meet that one person, it’s usually opposites attract.
This brings me to our one True Love.
We have always been loved first.
1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us.
Let’s apply the same principles.
You come to know Jesus. There is nothing like it in the world. He has freed you. You have new lease on life. Everything feels right with the world. You can’t stop talking about him.
Is this love? Yes, yes it is, the start of it, on your end.
Then comes the everyday stuff. Some of the very things you found endearing, now drive you crazy. Your covenant, deep and abiding loving God, wants to show mercy (again) to the person who has wronged you (unjustly). Maybe you can’t understand why something is allowed to happen or why something hasn’t happened. And honestly, it feels like God, at least most of the time, is late!
Is this love?
It sure is. It’s learning to accept what we cannot yet understand. There are differences. We are learning to live and walk out truth. Oh and by the way, for all of us, that one person, Jesus, it is opposites attract. He is sinless. And well, us, not so much.
Isaiah 55:9 Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
I want to be more like Him. To love others while they are still caught, stuck, rebellious, in their sin. That includes myself. Unconditionally.