God is in love with a world that doesn’t always respond. Love has a hope. Love hopes that it will spur a response of love in return. Young lovers take great risks to express their love, hoping to find love in return. It’s the subject of plays, stories and movies.
In one sense we are living in a story. At times it reads like a tragedy. But in reality its an epic, more beautiful and long lasting than anything written in ink. In this narrative love does not give up hope. It endures and it perseveres.
God’s love is toward you even if you have yet to acknowledge it. An eye-witness account will serve to illustrate.
A modest, yet well dressed man approached Jesus and His disciples out on the road. “Guru Jesus, good and perfect, I heard you have the secret to living forever. Let me be your student as these men are.”
Jesus replied, “Why are you calling me good? No one is good, only God. You know the words of enlightenment. Be righteous, live at peace with others. Do not murder, do not commit adultery, steal, lie, or cheat. Honor your father and mother.”
Guru Jesus, I am truly qualified to be your disciple. My parents raised me aware of the great laws and I’ve mastered them all.
Jesus locked eyes with him and His love was evident to everyone standing nearby. After a long pause Jesus raised one finger. And with all sincerity told the aspiring student, “You have only one great act to accomplish, then you will be my disciple and in so doing receive eternal life. Give everything you have to those who do not work, do not contribute, do not bathe, do not walk, do not see. Divest your entire estate to the poor of the world, then come back to me and we will walk together.”
The man’s face clouded over. This was the last thing he expected to hear, and he walked off with a heavy heart.
God’s love is toward us, even toward those who will never choose to walk with Him. Loving something, or someone else more than they dare love Him is the great tragedy. So much has been done for humanity, yet so few respond.
Yet many do, and love’s hope is fulfilled. To these “beloved,” experiences such as adoption, freedom, perseverance, joy, and peace become integrated into their person. They are more than experiences, they are intrinsic to their person-hood because they have responded to the Great Love: God’s love in Jesus.
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