John 15:13 says, "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends."
Jesus, with knowledge of the pain and suffering that He would endure, chose to be born into a broken world and die the most excruciating death imaginable because He wanted to cleanse the entire world of its sin, brokenness, and bondage to darkness.
That is truth and that is love.
People love people. We fascinate each other, gratify each other, and fulfill each other's longings. Overall, it is not difficult to be physically and/or emotionally intimate and close with people in life because it feels good. It is interesting, because I've found through experience that when we walk in brokenness, the people we choose to be intimate with (friends, lovers, same sex, different sex) are ones who we perceive as being healers or saviors of past heartaches. Not healed, many of the choices are unhealthy and we walk in paths of destruction because in the moment it seems to be the right answer to our problems.
I bring this up because understanding the word 'love' through this framework is often harmful. Yes, I love people. I am one who tends to be easily fascinated by people and craves time with them. I thank God for this gift! I have however come to learn that a fascination or feeling of endearment toward someone cannot be compared with the real love that God has for us and expressed to us on the cross. I have met no one else who would choose to experience the ridicule, backstabbing, pain and suffering that Jesus did for me. I owe Him everything, but He does not demand anything in return.
The truth is - love already won. This is not something new. Love did not win because of a human made decision that gives new legal rights to a group of people. Love won when Jesus spilled His blood out on the cross. He did it for me, you, and every single individual who has ever lived or who will ever live. His desire is that each one of us recognizes that, accepts His unchanging love, and begins to walk with Him. Nothing can compare with being in love with the One who would do and did do everything for you. He is the answer to every question - He is real love.
#lovewins
