LOVE...

Love is the one emotion that wreaks havoc in our lives, unbidden, and unhindered, it acts on its own accord, seemly at will. There are other emotions that have their way with us, as frail humans, like Anger, Hate, Joy, and fear, but all these and the many others are mostly single faceted, and for the most part, can be tamped down into submission, but not Love, it takes and is in full control.

Love is the one emotion that rises within us of its own accord, it is multi-faceted, moving us into its own path and actions of its choosing, and commanding at will most if not all the other emotions sealed within our soul. We can choose who we have relationships with, outside our families of course, and we can choose to end those relationships as well. But the powerful truth of Love is, we cannot choose who we Love!

There may be those that choose a person based on any number of things, like physical appearance, demeanor, wealth, or fame. They can even pursue a relationship in any number of ways, making their romantic desire known. They may even make headway in forging a union. And all in all, still not be “In Love” with that person. There is a difference. Now Love comes to bear of its own accord, there may be all the other things mentioned above that catches the eye, but the mystery of Love is such, that within a moment, a split second, a person is “In Love”. What drive this one emotion has, it is such a force within the human soul that it begins to cipher energy from every aspect of our being as it pursues its interests. Love begins calling all of the other emotions into focus, Joy and fear, happiness and heartbreak, Anger and Friendship. It is no wonder we get that butterfly feeling in our gut, all twisted and churning. We become so fearful that the feeling might not be mutual. We become angry with friends that interrupt our pursuit. Sound familiar? There is no controlling this emotion, it is on its own, with no thought of the body that houses it, or anything within a hundred-mile radius either organic or synthetic.

Looking back at the list of emotions, I can still my anger with slow breathing coupled with a forgiving spirit. I can turn my hate into friendship, by simply listening and understanding the other side. I can dispel joy by yielding to a pessimistic view. I can calm my fears by knowledge and understanding. But Love is a renegade, it answers to nobody, it cannot be reined in, it cannot be tamed.

So the question is, how do we know if what I am feeling is infatuation or Love? There are two rules that identify the two when it comes to a romantic relationship:

         1)  Love only wants what is best for the one that is loved.

         2)  Every other relationship only wants what is best for themselves.

Have you ever heard this phrase; “If you really loved me…” (Add whatever to the three dots)? That phrase only screams one thing – This is what is best for ME! There are so many red flags with this statement, one of which is insinuating that the one asked could act against true love. If a person loves another, the very nature of Love would never ask for proof, but would always be providing their own proof of their undying love.

Looking at relationships that break up, for many reasons such as sinful living, incompatibility, and yes, one of the couple was never in love. Have you ever experienced a breakup? Someone you were truly in love with, and then one day they announce that it is over, and leave. Do you remember that feeling? Like someone just ripped your gut open with a serrated blade, and forcibly yanked your stomach and heart out of your body. That hurt quite literally is that of the one all-powerful emotions being ripped out of your soul. Love had committed your entire being to the object of your love, and now it is gone. Human relationships fail because we are imperfect, and we are imperfect because we have ignored the perfect love of God in our lives.

Look at the Bible for a moment on what is says about Love: 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud.  (5)  Love is not rude, it is not selfish, and it cannot be made angry easily. Love does not remember wrongs done against it.  (6)  Love is never happy when others do wrong, but it is always happy with the truth.  (7)  Love never gives up on people. It never stops trusting, never loses hope, and never quits.  (8)  Love will never end…

Something I came to know not too long ago is that I never chose to Love the Lord Jesus Christ. I asked God to save me when I came to understand that Sin had condemned me to eternal judgment, to spend eternity in Hell. Then once I had that knowledge in my head, causing all kinds of anxiety and fear, I was also presented with the truth that God Loved Me! Not much in the words alone, but God never asked me to do anything for him, instead, moved by his love for me, allowed his Son, Jesus Christ, to die a terrible death on a Roman cross. I didn’t understand all the facts of this truth at the time, but I was told that all my sin he took on him, like it was a tangible thing, trapped in my soul, he removed it all, and bore them all in himself as his own, for me, he suffered that awful punishment that I deserved, because he loved me. When I knew all I needed to do was believe God that I would be granted forgiveness of sins, and I would spend eternity in heaven.

 Even then, I didn’t choose to love God or his Son, I merely accepted with gratefulness the gift of life. But God’s love is like the description in this bible passage, it never quits, never gives up. You may ask: “When did God start loving me?” after many years of study and walking with the Lord, I have come to understand something, God fell “In Love” with man when he made us. With man’s history, religiously speaking, turning from our maker, living in sin and rebellion, it is a testament to the description of Love, how very patient and kind, not remembering wrongs done against it, never giving up on the one it loves, and never quits.

Even after learning all these things, I still did not choose to Love God, but rather as I came to know him, to see his love in action, to be the center of his focus, I fell “In Love” with him. I don’t control this emotion, but it fills my heart, it moves my feet, it places the words in my mouth, it adores him.

My love for my wife, my family, and my church family is real and true, and reliable now because it is modeled after the love that God has displayed to all mankind, the love that sought me my entire life, never holding my offences against me, but always seeking the best for my life. The one that demonstrated his love when he died at Calvary.

Love.

Mikeee ~ August 2018