The Longing Lover

"But then I will win her back once again. 

I will lead her into the desert 

and speak tenderly to her there."

~Hosea 2:14

Whenever I pictured Jesus' life on this earth, I used to only imagine the separation and pain He felt while away from heaven; his longing for his father and for home.  The cost of his earthly trip.

But recently I've begun to realize that the temporary divide from his divine family was just the trade-off he willingly, joyfully, made in order to avoid a more painful goodbye.  He refused to be separated from us.  From you.  From me.

Me.  His faithless lover who left.  Me, the troubled part of his heart he couldn't let go.  Me, the one hopelessly lost to him through no fault of his own.  Me, the one he would rather face death than live without.  Me, undeserving me.

His pain began before the first human chose to betray him.  He chose to create us because he longed for companionship.  He chose to create that which could embrace or reject him as lover and friend. He chose to create and allow a freedom that could destroy.  He chose to create, knowing he was risking it all, for love.

His self-sacrificing love was there--even before it was needed.  His other-centered-ness called him to speak into existence a world, a people, he allowed to be free.  He sculpted a human race in whom he could pour out his love with no expectation--only hope--of love in return.

A love--a lover--whom he lost. A Love he had to barter back from his worst enemy.  And it cost him his life.

Love was more precious than life.  His love for me meant more to him than literally anything.  He considered separation from his beloved, perfect father to be preferable to losing me, his faithless lover.

Do you long for significance?  Do you long to be loved outrageously?  Undeservedly?  Dangerously? You already are.  You won't find that love anywhere but in his arms.  The lover who gave up everything to be reunited with you.  His love is everything.  His love is forever.  His love is for YOU.

And I am convinced 

that nothing 

can ever separate us from God's love. 

Neither death nor life, 

neither angels nor demons, 

neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow

not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love.

No power in the sky above 

or in the earth below--

indeed, 

nothing in all creation 

will ever be able to separate us 

from the love of God 

that is revealed 

in Christ Jesus our Lord.

~Romans 8:38-39