God is love. We all know this phrase by heart. But what exactly does it mean?
Our valentine image of love is of cupids with little red arrows, hearts, chocolates, flowers and a general giddiness. It is a time of wonder for young adults as they speculate on the implications for themselves, and for older ones who sometimes wonder if anyone really does care.
We have these same tender feelings when we are involved with a wedding. The romance, the joy, the hopes and dreams and expressions of undying love accompany young couples as they enter a period of temporary insanity and seem to lose touch with all rational thought. This is why parents cry at weddings. They realize that this moment, this apex of romance, is about to be hurled unsuspectingly into a world of reality. This young love will be tested and tried to see if it has the capacity - the will - to endure into maturity.
We soon discover that love is not necessarily easy. That loved one is provoking bad feelings in us and we wonder if we even like that person who doesn't seem as cooperative and charming as we had at first thought. Somewhere along the line we must decide if we will love. Anyway. We must either commit to love that person or decide that it is much easier to simply walk away. To love may be the harder choice. The riskier choice. But always the right choice. To love is to give oneself totally and without reservation regardless of the cost. To lay oneself bare and vulnerable.
We often measure our worth by the cost of the gift. How much am I loved? How much is that other person willing to sacrifice for me? What is my value? One rose worth, one box of candy's worth, one romantic dinner's worth ...?
How much does God love you? How much was He willing to sacrifice for you? How much are you worth to Him?
One cross worth.
Our valentine image of love is of cupids with little red arrows, hearts, chocolates, flowers and a general giddiness. It is a time of wonder for young adults as they speculate on the implications for themselves, and for older ones who sometimes wonder if anyone really does care.
We have these same tender feelings when we are involved with a wedding. The romance, the joy, the hopes and dreams and expressions of undying love accompany young couples as they enter a period of temporary insanity and seem to lose touch with all rational thought. This is why parents cry at weddings. They realize that this moment, this apex of romance, is about to be hurled unsuspectingly into a world of reality. This young love will be tested and tried to see if it has the capacity - the will - to endure into maturity.
We soon discover that love is not necessarily easy. That loved one is provoking bad feelings in us and we wonder if we even like that person who doesn't seem as cooperative and charming as we had at first thought. Somewhere along the line we must decide if we will love. Anyway. We must either commit to love that person or decide that it is much easier to simply walk away. To love may be the harder choice. The riskier choice. But always the right choice. To love is to give oneself totally and without reservation regardless of the cost. To lay oneself bare and vulnerable.
We often measure our worth by the cost of the gift. How much am I loved? How much is that other person willing to sacrifice for me? What is my value? One rose worth, one box of candy's worth, one romantic dinner's worth ...?
How much does God love you? How much was He willing to sacrifice for you? How much are you worth to Him?
One cross worth.
A Child of the King
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