Matchless Love, Part 1

I’ve been thinking about love recently—God’s love. How different it is from our own. It’s made me want to write about it. Not poetry, but creative expression nonetheless. To Him.

But before I begin, I have to ask You, Lord: What can I say about You? How do I express how I feel about You—publicly? I’ve listened to so many love songs about You. They always start by saying that any words will be inadequate. One of my favorite, “No Other One,” begins, “How I’d long to write a love song just for You, but on my own I felt it’s just another thing I couldn’t do.” I feel the same way. You know how I am with love anyway; I feel it so deeply, that sometimes I just don’t know how to express it. The emotion is just so overwhelming to me—paralyzing, even. Love is something…I love…more than life...(sigh). But here goes...

Your Love is not like anyone else’s. It’s divine, it’s pure; it’s totally selfless. To borrow from the “Love Chapter,” it never condemns, it keeps no record of wrongs, it always trusts, always hopes, always remains strong. So…

I love you because you loved me first. You saw me, dead in my sin, and reached out to me by sending Your Son to die for me. On my own I never would have loved You, but You thought I was so worth it that You--Almighty YOU--pursued lowly me. I didn’t even know how to find You; You found me. And to You, when I humble myself before You, You lift me up.

I love You because we never play phone tag. Sometimes I act unavailable, but You have me on direct dial—actually, that’s somewhat inaccurate—I don’t have to dial You—when I’m walking with You, we’re together, in person.

I love you because You need nothing from me. You just want to love me, and have me experience your love. When we humans think about wanting “love,” it’s usually a romantic love—a more selfish love. We think about someone to understand and support us, but also someone to be physically close with. But You, as I’ve heard mentioned, are 100% self-satisfied. You don’t need a “shoulder to lean on, or cry on.” You simply desire relationship with me. Not because You need me, but because You…love me. Any romantic love you’d give me on this earth can never be that selfless…that full of…love.

I love you because You love me when I mess up. When I make someone mad in this life—or when someone makes me mad, we need a period to “cool off.” But You hold Your arms out even when I do something to pain You. You don’t need to cool off; You desire to show me too much.

I love You because You want the best for me. You tell me in Your Word that You have plans for me—plans not to harm me, but to prosper me; to give me a hope and a future. That’s…love...

I love You because you fight my battles. Every time I feel weak, like I can’t continue, You carry me. And You always know when to carry me. How to carry me…In fact, You love to carry me.

How do I love You back? The answer: I can’t. Not like You can. I’ll always be the wayward one in the relationship— the untrue one, the one who cheats. But the thing is, the more I stay in Your love, that evil part of me—that wicked part that’s against You---fades away. And I become more like You, the You that epitomizes Love…Is Love…

So, for lack of a better explanation (and because I’ve been studying Property and can’t come up with a better word), I pray I continue to “divest” myself of all that I am—so that I can have More of You. So that I can be more loving—have more of Love. That’s what You are, who You are, and what You do: Love. I love to have Your Love. It’s matchless…Love. I’m not done expressing how I feel, but I’ll leave it at this…Matchless Love, Part 1.