Day 45 – “Love Bites…”*

“(love)…it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” 1 Corinthians 13:5b-6

Today love is the topic for our consideration.
What is love?
How do we get it?
How do we keep it?

Of course on a day like Valentine’s day, the expressions are everywhere – in the stores, in the flower shops, on commercials…you can’t go anywhere without seeing the evidence of love.  Unfortunately you can go many places and also see the void that love leaves.  This emotion, expression and way of living can be broken.  Many have experienced the brokenness of love – and it deeply hurts.  It happens when we become vulnerable to someone else.  It happens when we allow ourselves to trust someone and that trust gets broken.  Love, at times truly bites!

You can only imagine the hurt God must have felt when humanity broke His heart in the garden.  Adam and Eve walked with Him daily.  They told Him of their day.  They, creation and Creator loved each other.  But then we broke God’s heart and as punishment we were kicked out of that perfect love and into a place where atonement had to be found.  Thank goodness for God’s persevering, perfect love, because He made a way for us to get back to Him in the most outrageous and compassionate way – His Son.  Jesus died in our place.  While we were yet sinners Jesus died for us (Romans 5:8).  This kind of love came at an extreme cost – Death on a cross…the shedding of blood (Holy blood)…the sacrifice of the Lamb for we the hopeless, unfaithful, and broken sinner.  THIS is the love that bites.  This is the love that lasts…this is the love that Christ brings to you and me – an undeserving, love full of grace and mercy.

That love swings both ways though…will we love Him back?  Will we also reflect that love into the world?  Will we seek to be like Christ in our love for the unloved or unlovable?

Prayer:  Dear Lord, thank you for loving me!  I know that at times I have not loved you back, and I have not always lived for you.  Be with me today to express this love that I have in my life.  Help me to share that love to the world around me.  Lord, you are with me – help me to love even the unlovables in my life today.  -Amen.