There's a whimsical song from the early 1960s about a young man who had trouble in the romance department, so he went to see a gypsy. The gypsy in the song knew exactly what to do and mixed him up a bottle of Love Potion #9. In the song, that potion made him start kissing everything in sight and as you might imagine, it didn't end well for him when he came upon a police officer...
It was a humorous musical offering, but the interest in real love and the desire for romance in a relationship has been an enduring one. Over time, the songs, books and movies written about stories that involved love, love letters and communication that lead to romance are almost innumerable. So many relationships alleged to be matches "made in heaven" and so many other stories of love unrequited and broken hearts. They're interesting to so many in part because being truly in love with someone is a powerful thing and something that seems to fill a part of an inherant need in us. Of course the other completing part of the desired romantic equation though, is to be loved just as truly by the object of one's affections. Fortunately, there's not really a Love Potion #9 or false romance and chaos would be the rampant order, but it made for a funny song.
I've come in contact with some people over the years though that gave me reason to wonder if they really knew or ever felt what true love is,... some of them Christians - the latter being my greater concern. I've wondered if there are some who are serious enough about their belief in the God that created everything we know enough to generally follow the letter of scripture and teaching, but struggle to know a true love for God - let alone feel the overwhelming love that He has for them personally. It's for those that I'm writing, because to truly know the reality, the love, and character of God personally... is to be unable to resist loving Him deeply. It's a fact that for far more than just those misty eyed, romantic dreamers in the world, there really is a match made in heaven,... but it requires our engagement.
How difficult is it to start and maintain a relationship - to truly know and be known ... with a stranger? It takes time and it takes conversation. It's no different when it comes to knowing the God that created us and our prayer is a big part of that relationship building conversation. And those scriptures that we might know about - the ones that He dictated through people that He trusted to write them down for us, is His amazing love letter to you and to me. Considering in whole all of the effort He has made to woo us, of all of those we could choose talk to in life and whose letters we might choose to read, is there anyone more important than the God whose provisions of grace and mercy are so critical to our lives? Who could we both desire passionately and desperately need to talk to more? He created us for relationship with Himself and our interaction with Him. Of all of the people in the world who have ever lived, He wanted and wants still, to have relationship with you and with me. This is the whole point of our lives and "what life is all about".
God's done his part. He created a place - a world, where He could be with you and then He created you. He created you because He wanted you and He created you for this moment in time that you live in. Over the millenia of history, He wrote a long letter to you and told you about Himself - a letter so important to Him that He's made sure that it's survived to find you. He gave instructions on how to contact Him back in real time and about what He likes and dislikes, and about His own pure and true character. He even prepaid the price for you to be forgiven for all of the things that you may have done wrong in your life, regardless of how bad they may have been, in the hope that He could save you for Himself and live with you forever. That great price was the life of His own Son - that's how much you mean to Him. Now, it's your move - your turn to respond.
God's desire for relationship with us was never intended to be a life of drudgery and obligated dos and don'ts, but a life of joy and affection driven compliance with what His pure character allows. As much as God has, and is, giving of Himself - considering all that He's done to draw mankind to Himself - from the begining of His work in the creating of the world and through all that He's said and done, requires nothing less than the giving of our whole selves. Being willing to surrender ourselves to Him in return is what allows us to experience the richness and full fruit of the true perfect match made in heaven. To be willing to risk it all... is to find the perfect relationship that we were actually created for.
No, there's really no Love Potion #9, but this I know - there really is something infinitely better. Be truly willing to give yourself... and gain it all - everything your heart was truly created to desire.
"Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you." Psalm 143:8 (NLT)
"No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8 (NLT)
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