What Is Love?

I have completely avoided any spirituality up until now, but it's been a while since I posted, and it seems I'm not going to have anything new to say except as it relates to my relationship with Christ. I love those times when he just completely shuts you up to anything except for himself. Or actually, I hate those times, but I can't deny that they're incredibly good for me. Like fresh spring water, right Zora?

I recently heard a new song entitled (get this) "What Is Love?" That just screams Love through song, right? So ask me why it's taken me this long to mention it. Go ahead, ask me... Well, I'm glad you asked. It's because I am the quintessential prodigal child. Yep, I'd much rather run like hell than return to my Father with my head hung in shame even though he welcomes me with arms wide open. Which brings me to the real point...love.

What is love? Our God has heard our groaning.

And has remembered, in steadfast love, the covenant.

Christians have such a great tendency to skip all the way to Jesus. And yes, Jesus is the main point of the story. But you can look from the very beginning and see the love of God displayed so beautifully. This God, my Lord, looked down from heaven and chose a people, and he was faithful to his people through all their mess. If you read the Old Testament, you'll see. Israel is the blessed nation chosen by God, but they spit in his face over and over again. They served other gods and did not put their trust in their true Savior. Yet every time God's people humbled themselves and turned back to him, every time they started to complain and cry about the harsh bondage they had led their own selves into, God heard them and he remembered the free covenant he had made with them. And just so no one gets confused, you'll see later in this blog that I admit, I am just like Israel, and God is yet faithful to me. And I'm sure there are others who have the same testimony. Absolutely amazing.

What is love? We are considered blameless

Even though, for his death, we are to blame.

What is love? The King has purchased our freedom

From ourselves, the world, and the enemy.

Well, there you go. See, I told you I'd get to the New Testament, the Jesus part. You've all heard it, and I know that no amount of words could truly express the depth of love displayed in Christ's act of sacrificial love. But I honestly don't have much to say to expound upon the main idea. What's more important for me to say right now is expressed in the final verse of this song:

What is love? Our God breaks the cycles

That we find ourselves in constantly.

What is love? Our God pursues his people

Even when they turn back to their Egypts.

What is love? To die to self and selfish gain

And to trust the love that God has for us.

I heard this, and I thought Oh My God. Oh MY God. You ARE this God. Yes, you were faithful to the Israelites. Yes, you died for our sins so that we wouldn't have to pay that price. But wow, God. After all of that, you are still presently working in my life tonight, in this very moment. This moment when I feel my mind running over the same thoughts and my heart running over the same hurts, you are here, and you break that horrible cycle. That moment when I feel like I need to hide from you because I can't even remember how to pray, YOU seek after ME. What manner of love is that?! And all that you ask, the bare minimal amount of love that you desire in return for everything that you have done for me, is that I give up on these selfish things that don't fulfill me anyway. That I learn to be held by you, and trust YOUR love, the only love that will absolutely NEVER fail me. Oh my God.