There's something about a starry night like we have at home that mesmerizes me--the constellations, shooting stars, and the peacefulness that envelopes over you when you're out there. Some of my favorite memories, best conversations, and thinking moments have been on nights like that. While I was visiting home a couple weeks ago, one of the nights I came home after working at my parent's store, and I surprisingly wasn't tired at all. So I pulled up a chair on the patio and sat outside for awhile. As I sat there thinking about the events that had transpired that day, I was consumed by a thought I had when I was having coffee with a friend whom I hadn't seen in awhile.
What I've seen and what I've struggled to wrap my mind around, is how far love for someone will carry us, and how powerful it really is. Love that is beyond, "I love my new shoes!" or "I love to watch a sunset." or "I love my dog." While those are all true, they are not the love that I am referring to. The Greek did the smart thing and defined more than one word for the different types of "love," but I guess we've gotta work with what we've got.
As I've looked back on the love that I've witnessed and been a part of in my life thus far, I was reminded of something my high school pastor told me one time; he said that, "relationships are one of the most greatest gifts God has given us on this earth." Particularly a relationship with Him. The love of Christ lead him to the cross where he died for our sins so that we could have a relationship and live eternally in His presence. Crazy right?! All because of love--unfailing, never-changing, selfless love.
Think of what we will do for the people we truly love. How far we will go for them, the things we will do for them, the longing we have to see them succeed and be happy. And that's as a human being. It's unfathomable to think of the love that our God possesses.
I look at my parents, especially with this latest journey they've embarked on, and I've never once doubted that they loved each other. In sickness and in health, for better or for worse, they are as one. There's mutual respect, honor, and support for each other. And then I just think of how much more God loves us.
I've seen the effects of when love is missing from the puzzle. I've watched as a friend has made some not-so-great choices, drifted away from many they were close to, and has developed relationships that remain shallow, getting cut-off as soon as it gets a little uncomfortable. But the power of love as God created it comes into focus again when I look at this person's family and closest friends. They show fear, worry, and concern at the uncertainty about what may happen, they make an effort to be in contact, to let the person know they're still there not matter what, and they pray. Pray that God protects, and is there watching over even if the person has drifted away from the relationship with Christ they once had. Praying that, if hitting bottom is what needs to take place, then it would happen sooner rather than later and that it would be the thing that opens his eyes to what he's known to be true all along.
Love is powerful. And it's the greatest thing God has given us. In 1 Corinthians 13, God describes love. It is patient, and kind; it does not envy or boast. It is not rude or self-seeking, it is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs. It does not delight in evil, but rejoices in truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. These remain--faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Francis Chan wrote a book called Crazy Love. In it he says that we need God to help us love God, and likewise, we definitely need God to help us love our fellow faulty human beings. The Holy Spirit has to move into our lives for the love of God to grow in our hearts. We have to stop pursuing God and loving others in order to sin. But as we begin to focus more on Christ, loving Him and others becomes more natural; because as we pursue Him, we become more satisfied in Him.
I still don't fully understand it, I never really will. But it is one of the most fascinating things to think about. Beyond the fact that there are numerous types of love, and that there are different "levels" if you will, of love; it is so amazing and undefinable. It has the capacity to change even the hardest heart. Love is captivating. Love is crazy. Love never fails.
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