Love: Advent week four For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. John 3:16, 17 Love. Some believe it exists, some think its a useless emotion. Some find comfort in its embrace and some build walls of stone to protect themselves from it. Some go to the ends of the earth to find it and some run like the wind to escape it. Some see it as a balm that heals still others are afraid of the pain associated with it. Some refuse the notion that life can be complete without it yet others accept the idea that with it there is no hope of contentment with it. Some look into its eyes and see a brilliant sunrise full of promise and possibility while yet others see dread and looming storms climbing rapidly on the horizon. There are some who believe the only foundation that will keep their life from collapsing and deteriorating into disarray is one built on the bedrock of love while others believe because they believed that at one time their lives have become shrouded in the fog of despair and lost dreams. The truth is that everyone of us have been created to love and be loved but it is also true that love is not always safe. Love is one ingredient that is often misunderstood because our concept of it is sometimes misguided. We find ourselves thinking that love needs to be reciprocated but it does not. It is has the most impact when it is given to those who cannot return it. Holding a friend in your arms that is trying to detox, wiping their brow with a cool cloth while they shake and heave. Holding the hand of one lying in a hospital bed that has but a few days longer to live. Holding an infant with a raging fever, rocking back and forth humming rock a bye baby and whispering in their ear. Singing old Sunday school choruses to one who has slipped into the empty, lonely world of Alzheimers. Giving half of your subway sandwich to one who has nothing to eat for supper. Many years ago the creator of this place we call home decided to gamble. He knew the risk of rejection, he knew the possibility of denial. But to prove the power of love he chose to take the risk. He chose to make it possible, for people who could not give in return, to know what love could do for them. To those who are broken, he offers healing. To those who are lost, he offers direction. To those who are weak, he offers strength. To those who weep, he offers comfort. To those who are searching, he offers answers. To those who sin, he offers forgiveness. To those who reject, he offers mercy. He shows us how to love. When Gabriel told a young virgin that she would be the one to bring pure, powerful, life changing love into the pool of humanity, our Heavenly daddy was telling everyone of us that love was real and life changing, even if we could not love like he does in return.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Dec 2014 15:09:37 +0000
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