That is something that someone would say to express ‘true love.’ Someone you honor and respect receives this title. And if we are the ones that God has chosen as His people, and considering all that He has done for us, we must acknowledge that He is the love of our life. And in return, all that he asks from us is, respect, admiration, gratitude, and submission.
But that’s where the devil makes that hard. He knows our weaknesses and he knows how to manipulate us dragging us further from our heavenly Father. Farther away from the one who is our ‘True Love’.
We read that our God is the epitome of love and that He is faithful love! In Psalm 57:10 and 86:15, we read of the depth and abounding nature of His love. The love that God has demonstrated toward us, along with his compassion and consistent care, its one that we are not physically and humanly capable of possessing or, to be honest, understanding. Having the love of Christ is difficult, and having a faithful, enduring love and striving to remain faithful and true to our ‘True Love’, can be hard in this world in which we live in. However, when we think on a much broader scope, was it ever easy for anyone? Regardless of the time period, regardless of the living conditions, regardless of state of the world?
In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 7), he addresses the struggle that they are having with sexual immorality. He addresses both those who are single and struggling with that sexual desire, as well as those who are single and not tempted in that way. To those who are struggling, he encourages them to go ahead and marry. Sexual sin is not a ‘new thing’ that has recently been ‘discovered’. Christians then and now struggle with it. Sin has been in this world since Genesis 3. Temptation is ever present, and God’s word even tells us that, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” (I Corinthians 10:13)
It is hard to not to be distracted by the things of this world that are constantly put in front of us. However, the blessings and love of God are present here as well. Take a minute and turn your gaze up from the ground and SEE it. It’s there, we (sadly) make the choice to not enjoy and reflect on it.
Every day, we make choices. Some of them, will bring us closer to Christ, and some will take us further away from Him. We always have a choice. One choice could make us stronger, more resilient and draw us closer to the safety and unconditional love of God. The other will keep us stagnant and pull us closer to the place void of His presence. We read of it in scripture, but see a more vividly painted picture in the book of Revelation (read about the ‘lake of fire’ in Rev. 20:14-15).
Everything we do, is driven by something. Passion, desire, and a will to have something that we don’t necessary need. A want for something or a love for someone that doesn’t draw us closer to God. It reminds me of the song “The Greatest Commands” and the soprano’s words as they quote Luke chapter 10, “…love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind…“ God IS love and He is the epitome of what ‘True Love’ is. But do we treasure our ‘True Love?’ Do we take Him and what He’s done for us for granted? Will we love Him with all our heart, soul, strength and mind?
I love my family — my parents and my brothers. I love my boyfriend, my friends and all of my brothers and sisters that I am so blessed to have in Christ. And I love those who are not yet in Christ’s family. However, and I believe this with all my heart, God is the reason I love all of these people. Why? The answer is simple. “Because He first loved me…” Psalm 139:13 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
