April  2006

Truly Madly Deeply

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" John 15:13
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son" John 3:16

Years back when I was at work, one of my friends played a CD during lunch break. The song caught my attention, especially the words. I listened intently to the words of that song and by the end of that song, when I compared the words to what Jesus said, I saw a big difference. As I pondered on the truth of what True Love means, I came to understand that the only person who could ever truly love us is none but Him.

Many a time we may have heard songs or read poems where the guy tells his girl something like ... "Baby I love you so much that I'd even climb the highest mountain jus for you ... or I can even dive into the deepest ocean to prove my love for you". But all of those turn out to be jus mere romantic words with empty emotions. And many a time we have seen how such romances simply end up in heartaches and hurts.

My friend, there is Someone who does not make all these wild promises which can't be fulfilled. Someone who does not say empty words and white lies jus to win our love. Even while we still rejected Him, Jesus loved us.

This Jesus I'm talking about did not climb the highest mountain of this world to prove His love for us. But He did the utmost a man could ever do to show His love for you and me ... He walked the hill of Calvary and paid the price for our sins. This Jesus did not swim the deepest ocean to prove His love for us, but He walked upon the raging sea and He calmed the roaring waves and the rushing wind. This Jesus is Someone who is alive even now and forevermore and is always there beside us thru our joys and sorrows.

My friend, the question is "Do we recognize and acknowledge what Jesus did for us and love Him back the same way?" Or "Are we still ignoring Him and taking His love for granted?" How often have we taken His goodness and His mercy towards us for granted? Maybe its time for us to ponder on what Jesus did for us and check our lives to see if we love Him the same way as He does us.

Sometimes we get discouraged on things that matter less and make a big deal out of it simply because we have not taken the time to count the blessings which God has given us out of His abundant love for us. If you are one of those people who worry a lot about your outward look or appearance or the color of your skin, my friend let me advice you to walk into a hospital and have a look at the person whose face has been marred due to a fire-accident. Then you will be able to thank God for what you look like now. If you think your heart is broken by your lover, my friend let me advice you to walk into the intensive care unit of a hospital and have a look at the person who's fighting for his heartbeat, struggling with all those tubes and bottles around him. Then you will know how to be thankful to God for giving you a healthy heart that can beat in its pace.

My friend, we need to pause for a moment and think of the True Love which Jesus showers on you and me every moment of our days and take time to thank Him for all He's done for us. Secondly, let's take a moment to see how we could love Him back and not take His love for granted. One of the best ways to be in love with this True Lover is to begin our day with Him with a quiet time in His presence. If you have not been spending time with your True Lover (Jesus Christ) I would encourage you to do so ASAP, because He's waiting there at the doorsteps of your heart wanting to convey His love to you in ways you wouldn't have expected or imagined !!!

May God help us to know the True Lover of our lives, because if there's ever a person on earth who could love us truly that's Jesus because He is Truly, Madly, Deeply in love with you and me !!!

Have a blessed day !!!

Your friend,
Eshcol