Most people like a good love story don’t they? So why isn’t the greatest love story enough for so many people?
I think heavily about questions like this at Easter more than other times I find. Many times I think we misunderstand true love. Unfortunately, it isn’t a modern problem that we can diagnose with some sort of trite solution. No, the problems stem from the voices of the way back machine of our history.
I definitely am not trying to profess to have all of the answers. I simply seek to share some questions that can engage our hearts today as we consider the romantic relationship in our lives currently, or our dreams of cultivating one in the future.
So you might be wondering what the tear is all about in the picture? I am not going after the famous line from the Hollywood picture (Jerry Mcguire): “You had me at hello”. Rather, it represents an image that we can all connect with emotionally speaking. Love creates a heart-felt response and it many times is seen through outward displays of powerful emotions (both good and bad). You will not find any good love story that is free from both types of powerful emotions that move during the lifetime of the relationship. Fortunately, there is silver a lining found in any emotional release when it is occurs within the confines of true love!
I’d like you to stop for a moment and reflect on your answers to these questions:
1. So what do you feel true love is?
2. Is true love a feeling or an action or both?
3. Who do you feel you truly show love to consistently as you look at your life today?
4. Do you feel that people who are truly in love should be able to love one another even when the other person seems clearly unlovable?
5. Is there anything more profound that someone who loves you can give to you than their own life in trade for yours (because of how much they love you)?
One Remarkable Powerful Love Story
So have you really ever heard someone share the greatest love story ever told with you? I am thankful that I can answer yes to that question. God is not only love; His love is the real deal. His love isn’t fair weather love (sadly like so many married people and close friends or family members show to one another today). God created man in His own image. He has watched us from the beginning not trust his love (beginning with the very first sinful decisions of Adam and Eve) that they made in the Garden of Eden. He has also watched His creation act unloving through so many wars, and a multitude of other unloving acts over our human history. God is holy, and free from all ability to sin. He can’t be in the presence of or participate in sin (or evil doing). With that in mind, that is why none of us can ever do enough within our own lives to tip the scales of judgment to get God to be in favor of how we lived our life (so we can ensure our ticket to heaven is punched). The only way the gates of heaven could ever be opened to us or the scales of justice/judgment could even be reconciled in our lives was if God created another way. Fortunately, He did just that. He chose to demonstrate love to the world through sending his one any only son, Jesus Christ, into the world. His son came to teach us love and show us love through His life. He was approachable, warm and kind to the greatest of sinners. He didn’t need the silver spoon either to live such a righteous life. He was born in a lowly manger. He lived in a poor setting, and worked as a simple tradesperson in this time. His life actions not merely His words showed everyone around Him the love of God. He spoke truth always. He was willing to die for it. He was willing to be beaten by the very people He can to saved. He was tortured in a horrific way, and freely made this choice despite the fact that He had the supernatural ability to stop them. They beat and tortured Him unjustly, and condemned Him to death for doing nothing wrong. He gladly embraced the agony of death so He could create a way to save each and every one of us from the wages of our sins (death). God loved us so much that He entered our world through the person of His son (Jesus Christ) to show us love through His selfless action of taking on everything wrong the world had ever done until that date, as well as anything else we would ever do wrong in the future. He died so He could create an open door to heaven for each and every person who would take His hand and follow him during their life so when their last breathe was taken they could walk through that door into a place that He prepared for them in heaven.
My main goal today though is to ask a few more questions about my main question: “why isn’t the greatest love story enough for so many humans on this planet?” What do you think about the questions below?
1. Is God’s presentation of the greatest love story ever told through the life of His one and only son, Jesus Christ, something that we should treat as if we should be leery about like something we would advise children of when they get opportunities for candy from strangers? It seems to be a reality in the world that doesn’t make any sense to me when I think about the views of so many today in regards to this love story.
2. Why isn’t God taking on human flesh, entering the world through humble/meager conditions, and then being beat, tortured and killed by those He came to love and save (even when He had full ability to stop them), not something we marvel at in admiration, adoration and appreciation? Why do so many want nothing to do with Jesus?
3. Why is the saving grace of the gospel message of Jesus Christ and God’s free gift of salvation (and eternal life) seen as something so caustic and repellent today? For many it is viewed with as much distain as they would view members of a horrific cult drinking some sort of poisoned, green cool-aid before their life ends. I don’t get it. I can’t see that connection.
4. Why has the name of Jesus been like no other for thousands of years? Why does His name continue to impact lives today and drive people to such radical change and radical opposition? Why does His name still have this power, yet so many want to deny this reality they clearly see as evidence in the world around them (and as they survey all of human history)?
5. Why does having a personal relationship and loving Jesus Christ seem so unapproachable, unbelievable or undesirable today? Why is the concept of loving God’s son with all your heart seen as such a negative? I personally can’t see the downside to embracing this sort of amazing love.
If you have not yet seen the movie: The Passion of Christ, it does a good effort to depict the life purpose and mission of Jesus Christ. However, I am sure it was nothing in comparison to what Jesus actually experienced physically that day. If you haven’t seen this movie, I would challenge and encourage you to watch it while considering the questions above.
So what are your answers to these questions posed here? I’d love to hear them. Feel free to contact me or call me at 717-615-2274 and share them with me…
Finding Fulfillment and Embracing Forgiveness
So many people (married or single), cry themselves to sleep at night nowadays. It isn’t just about the absence of their spouse that night either or the lack of one if you are single. It has more to do with the fact that too many people are seeking fulfillment in life from the wrong sources; while they continue to overlook the greatest love story ever told.
God is love, and He wants an intimate relationship with each of us (his beloved children). God was willing to demonstrate this through the life of His son, Jesus Christ. Jesus did not come to condemn anyone. He came to demonstrate true love and to save people. His life was (and still is) all about forgiveness. Forgiveness for you and me friend! I watched a great movie called: The Grace Card recently. If you know anyone in your life that you need to offer forgiveness to, and you haven’t seen this movie yet I would highly recommend it.
So, why do YOU think the greatest love story ever told isn’t enough for so many people? I’d love hear from you.
God bless,
Joe