I wish that I did not know
Where all broken lovers go
I wish that my heart was made of stone
Yeah if I was bulletproof
I’d love you black and blue
If I was solid like a jewel
If I had a diamond heart
I’d give you all my love
If I was unbreakable
If I had a diamond heart
You could shoot me with a gun of gold
If I was unbreakable
Oh how easy it would be to love if we had a guarantee that our hearts would never be broken. How easy it would be to hope if we knew we would never be disappointed. How easy it would be to give of ourselves if there was a promise that we would never be rejected.
How easy, but how incredibly boring and dull, empty and unsatisfying.
We were not made to have hardened, bulletproof, impenetrable, unfeeling, diamond hearts. We were made to love. And like CS Lewis said:
And Jesus said this, knowing that it wouldn't always be easy. In fact, he said that sometimes love means laying your whole life down for a friend: “Greater love has no man than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13)
But the good news is that we don't have to do this alone. In 1 John 4 it says “This is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son... We love because He first loved us.” We have the perfect example of love in Jesus. He gave Himself despite our rejection. He hopes for us, though we constantly disappoint Him. He had his heart and body broken for us that we may live. He loves us, even in our brokenness and shame.
And because He loves, I will choose to love. Through the heartache, the uncertainty, the rejection and the pain. I will choose to turn the other cheek, to be patient, kind and forgiving and accepting. Because Jesus loves me, I will soften and open my heart that He so loved to wholeness, and I will love.
How easy, but how incredibly boring and dull, empty and unsatisfying.
We were not made to have hardened, bulletproof, impenetrable, unfeeling, diamond hearts. We were made to love. And like CS Lewis said:
“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”Not only were we made to love, we were called to love. Jesus said to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength and to Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:30-31)
And Jesus said this, knowing that it wouldn't always be easy. In fact, he said that sometimes love means laying your whole life down for a friend: “Greater love has no man than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13)
But the good news is that we don't have to do this alone. In 1 John 4 it says “This is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son... We love because He first loved us.” We have the perfect example of love in Jesus. He gave Himself despite our rejection. He hopes for us, though we constantly disappoint Him. He had his heart and body broken for us that we may live. He loves us, even in our brokenness and shame.
And because He loves, I will choose to love. Through the heartache, the uncertainty, the rejection and the pain. I will choose to turn the other cheek, to be patient, kind and forgiving and accepting. Because Jesus loves me, I will soften and open my heart that He so loved to wholeness, and I will love.
No comments:
Post a Comment