Thoughts on love…

I turned on The Lettermen to hear “When I Fall In Love” and as I listened to the strains of the music and the words with closed eyes I found myself back in time when I honestly and truly believed that could and would be true in my life. When I fall in love, it will be forever, or I’ll never fall in love…are you too young to remember that song? The most romantic line ever penned by an author can be found in my much read copy of Jane Eyre when Rochester says to Jane…”it is as if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly and inextricably knotted to a similar string situated in the corresponding quarter of your little frame… I am afraid that cord of communion will be snapped; and then I should take to bleeding inwardly.”

How strong is love? Being the romantic at heart that I am, I have read verses from the great poets and listened to love songs and dreamed as I’m sure you have too but the greatest up close and personal love story I know of is the one my parents lived in front of me for my whole life. It was simply beautiful and was a goal to reach toward.

Another great love story is the one told in the Song of Solomon. My favorite verse is in chapter 2:4-6 He brought me to the banqueting house, And his banner over me was love. Sustain me with cakes of raisins; Refresh me with apples, For I am lovesick. His left hand is under my head, And his right hand embraces me.  His banner over me was love, oh what a wonderful phrase. Although beautiful to read as a love story on its own about a shepherdess and her Beloved, it is an allegory of God’s love for His Bride, the Church.

There is a saying that goes “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, and it is God’s eye of love for us that prompted Him to send Jesus into the earth, in the flesh, to give His life for us. Only true love would make you give your life. I made the comment to someone today that if giving my life would bring complete happiness to my children, I would gladly do it. John 3:16-18 “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.”

Jesus gladly gave His life so that we could have complete happiness, and what do we do with it? I want to receive His love to myself the way the Shulamite received from her beloved, and I want to take it very personally, because it is, I am His beloved. The song says “Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares, His heart is touched with my grief, when my days are dreary my long night weary I know my Savior cares” then “Oh love of God, how rich how pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forevermore endure the Saint’s and Angel’s song.”

A breakfast of bacon and eggs calls for an offering from the chicken, but commitment from the pig, it’s a poor analogy, but think about it, will you give an offering to Jesus in return for His complete commitment? “When I fall in love, it will be forever...” Don’t let the cord of communion be snapped between you and your Beloved. Feel the love…