Something on Love

I was just talking with a friend of mine, and we got on the subject of love. They said that they loved a person with all their heart. I asked if they could let that person go. My friend said, "I don't know what I'd do without him." So I said that it might not be love. I said look at how God showed his love for us. He gave up that which is most important - himself, through Christ - and still allows us to walk away from him, without forcing himself upon us. That to me is love - because He still loves and cares about us. Wants us to know he loves us, and is willing to take us back, that's incredible. I can think of a few things in scriptures about this.

The first is in Romans, and is sort of like what I said to my friend. "But God demonstrates his love for us in this - while we were still sinners Christ died for us." In Romans 5 Paul says a few things like this, talking about how regardless of our status and relationship with God, he still was willing to give himself so that he could be in relationship with us - so that we could experience His love. I know that none of this is probably new to most people who read this. But if you haven't accepted Christ as Saviour think about it. Think about it, while we were enemies of God, He sent himself, as Christ, to die so that we could enter into relationship with him. He pursues us - all of us know that there is something out there that we lack and we see different examples of it daily - but he doesn't not force us. It is our choice - just look at the two thieves that were crucified beside Christ on that wonderfully sorrowful day. One chose to ask for forgiveness - he realized he deserved what he was receiving, but that Christ did not. Christ accepted him. But Christ didn't try to "convert" the other thief who had just seen his fellow thief ask to enter heaven. What would that be in scripture? I think to show us that it is our choice, but to make the point that he will not force us.

The second example of this love is in Hosea. The prophet that God picked out a wife for to give an example to the whole of Israel. Read what the word of God says:
"When the LORD began to speak through Hosea, the LORD said to him, "Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the LORD." So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim. . ." Hosea 1:2-3a

God had him marry a whore, a prostitute. Would any of you guys who are single do that? Marry a woman you know is adulterous, or ladies? How about you? But God did this to give an example. You see, Gomer wasn't always adulterous - at least that's how I read it. My understanding of it is that her heart was, but it was only after she had married Hosea and bore him two sons and a daughter that she became a prostitute. After she had become a prostitute, Hosea was told by the Lord to go and redeem her. So he bought her for 6 ounces of silver and about 10 bushels of barley and brought her out of that life. I could be reading it wrong though, but wouldn't that be even better? That means that God takes us however we are!

Whether were a good person (in earthly terms) or not, He still takes us. I think that the story of Hosea and Gomer is just an incredible illustration of that verse in Romans 5 - only the price for redeeming the whole of mankind - that is, placing the ability to be redeemed - was that of Christ's life.

That is love. Now I know that you might say, but that has absolutely nothing to do with the love between a man and a woman. But I believe that it does. God is the lover of our soul, how can it be that this expression of love is not meant to be an example for us in the relationships with have with others? Just think of Paul's exhortation to married men: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her." Ephesians 5:25

Think about it.

Blessings,