When you get that fuzzy feeling. When you heart starts to beat a little faster. When you want to spend more time with that person. When you think about kissing them.
I'm in love.
Well, after considering all of those things at least once (probably more like millions of times), you finally realize that you are, you think, your in love. Isn't that love? Is it? It is....
About .095% of it.
"Pffft, Missing, don't even bother writing this post. Just stop right now. You have zero experience in this area. Virgin."
"Ohhh, I beg to differ. I have experienced love and I try my best, by God, to love."
"Cheap. I am talking about romantic love."
"Shuddup and lemme write my post. Since when did you get back into this blog anyways?"
"I'm Flight, I go where I please."
~Flight (He's BACK!!) and "Missing"nomer
Flight got me there. I have never had a romantic relationship, nor do I see myself getting into one anytime soon. However, I have dabbled in it within my mind. After all, that is where love always starts. There were a couple a moments in my life when I did picture myself with someone forever. Ahh, so romantic. Love is a feeling you get. Love has no reason. It simply is. At least, that is what I thought for the longest time. I mean, Hollywood told me so. They are always right according to teenagers and Ryan Seacrest. I am a Christian, now. So what does it mean when a Christian says those magical words to someone? When they say it to someone of the opposite sex?
I could riddle off a bunch of Bible verses that talk about Love. But I can sum it all up by saying that God is Love. What does that even mean? How can God be a feeling? And that, my Dear Readers, is why my former definition of love was terribly wrong. The word love was something I thought you felt for someone. It was something that controlled your actions and thoughts. It dictated what was and wasn't important. I didn't get it entirely wrong. I had a few things right when it came to love, but close isn't good enough. Far from it. True Love is perfect, unyielding, kind, gracious, selfless, unconditional, long-suffering, and most of all, accepting. When I say I love someone, it means I want to do everything in my power to make their lives better. I will do
anything to fulfill their wants and needs. Never giving up, never having doubts, never having evil thoughts against them. No, love is pure and holy. So when I drop that word on someone, I have to realize the tremendous responsibility I have put on my life. God says, "I Love You." Take a moment and realize what that actually means. The Creator of the universe just said He loved you. What is love? (Please re-read the above sentences) Really? God loves me? Wow. But wait. He says He
is love. What does he mean when he says that? See the words I used to describe love? Just copy and past that under the definition for God, see?
Can I truly relate those traits to Missingnomer? Impossible, I can't measure up to a single one of those descriptions. This Love that I am talking about is unobtainable to normal human beings. It is something that only stems from a perfect being. So when an unbeliever says, "I love you." Take it with a massive grain of salt. However, for a believer in Christ we have a relationship with Love. The being who originates in Love. The connection we share with the Creator grants us the gift of True Love. We, as believers, can Truly Love others. So what is the love that people apart from God have? It's lust, greed, covetousness, and selfishness all under the disguise of the beautiful word we know as love. Its cold and heartless; based on broken feelings that change like the seasons. People who put their trust on human emotions will be left hurt and alone. How can you base your life upon something that is not perfect and constant?
True Love is firm, perfect, and steadfast. When believers exercise their gift to love others, we do it by the strength of God, not by our broken strength. Do believers truly understand the weight of True Love? Do we truly understand the marvelous gift we have been given? Do we still conform to the broken love of man and flee from the perfect Love of a Savior? Why am I nodding my head? Why are tears welling up? Because I have squandered this profound Love. I have discarded it for lust, for selfish desires, and for momentary pleasure. Lord, help me to cling to True Love and flee from the brokenness of this world. Amen.
"WAIT! Hold the phone sister. You are talking about general love. Romantic love hasn't even been mentioned once. Get to the point."
"Hahaha, Flight. For you to even say such a thing proves your naivety. I did cover it."
"What?"
"Behold! I am not done with this post. Wow, please stop interrupting me."
~Baka Flight and Missingnomer
Now I ask a new question: is there a difference, as believers, between romantic love and love we should have for everyone? And we all say, "Yes!" I mean, if you answered no, I guess you can skip this part.
Romantic love and love we should have for everyone are two peas in the same pod. Romantic love has two extra things tacked onto it: physical intimacy and devotion. Other than that, I can't see any difference. I love my brother as much as I will love my future wife. It is the same love stemming from the same source. The difference is that I have a responsibility, a covenant, to devote myself to my wife and family. Oh, and I have some benefits, but we can just gloss over those. The point is that romantic love and "regular" love should be nearly identical to believers.
Love isn't a feeling.
Love is a choice.
If I want my Dear Readers to walk away with anything, I want it to be those two sentences above. Love is a choice. It isn't a fleeting emotion that you can't control. It isn't unreasonable. True Love has its reason. You can control it. I choose to love my family because that is what God desires of me. I love God because without Him I can do nothing. True Love is something that I am commanded to do unto others, not because I am expecting something out it. No, Love is sacrificial. Love transcends the physical. See how I can keep using the same words to describe God and Love? Love is so many things, yet why do I feel like some believers don't get it? Stop using this world's love. You don't need it. You have something way better than that. You have True Love! Love that is eternal, full of hope, understanding, responsibility, and wisdom.
I have to realize that my ability to love isn't based on my abilities, but the ability of God. This love I have for my family is definitely not of my own. It stems from Him. It has to, otherwise, I would have left the house as soon as I turned 18. Remember, Love is not concerned with what you can get out of it. Love simply Loves. No questions asked. The day will come when I will love a women romantically. How should I go about doing it? I don't know. I don't have to. God will sustain my love for her. It's not me, it's Him.
Sorry for the late post Dear Readers. School is starting to slow down. I am still growing. Still falling. Still getting back up. I ask for your prayers. I need them. I hope you were blessed, even if it be just a little. God bless you and keep you.
You thought it. I denied it. The tears were real that day.
