“The course of true love never did run smooth.”
~ A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Love is a many splendored thing, at least according to several songs and film titles. And it is. There is much splendor to love. There is much emotion. There is much thrill. Love is that and so much more. However, anyone who has ever been in love will also tell you that love does not always go smoothly. While the virtue of love is rock solid, the actions that proceed from “love” are not so predictable. Love can be less than smooth. Love can be quite rocky. Love can even hurt.
Love did not even run smooth for God. There He was: the great, all-powerful, all-knowing God. His love for us was and is and will always be absolutely perfect. Yet, He ran into obstacle upon obstacle to His love. His love for us is perfect. Our love for Him is much less perfect.
We are too prone to distraction. We easily take our eyes off of what is important. We often believe that something else is more important. We sometimes define other things — lust, desire, and the like — as love. Love is pure. It is a longing for what is best for another. It is never self-serving. If someone is engaging in behavior that is self-serving, it’s not love.
Jesus’ love hit a snag because His people were not willing to love Him in kind. They were too busy trying to fulfill their own vain wishes. They found Him all too much for them and, because of that, they killed Him, nailing Him to the cross as a common criminal.
“The course of true love never did run smooth.” But the beauty of that great miracle is that true loves runs continuously. It is non-judgmental. It is not self-serving. It is not conditional. It is true and pure. It is another name for God.
We might not be there yet and most likely will never be until after death; however, we are challenged to love as God does, as Jesus did.
FAITH ACTION: Evaluate your relationship with God and determine if there is anything you need to do in order to become even closer to Him.
Remember: The Fridays of Lent are Days of Abstinence