Blog entry for Tuesday NIght, March 12, 2013

What do we know about real LOVE? Real Hope would be easy to know, since hope can't rise about the object we look forward to seeing, or the place we look forward to going or the person we look forward to becoming. Real Hope, we found out is what JESUS taught us by helping Peter to be reinstated as an apostle and leader! Real Life also is found when we are no longer afraid of death. Then, we find life as Peter passed on to a lady in Acts, named Tabitha. Sadly most people fine despair and hopelessness instead.  As I finish this day, I am beginning to turn my focus on our third topic, "real love."  

I can only imagine what some entertainment person might dream up to get you to think about love, to watch a show, sing a song, or read a book. Can you see it now? The people involved are willing to do anything, to say anything, no matter how shameful or silly, all for the sake of love. Oh, wait, you can watch that nearly every evening. The true reality of our age and time and nation is that most people spend all of their time and money looking for love. When they finally have it, they discover that they have been fooled. The very thing they seek isn't really love, but a cheap imitation or a momentary expenditure of energy and passion. Sadly, most of what is called love, really isn't love, is it? 

The second night of the movie, "The Bible" gives us a graphic, and sad example of misguided love. To tell you the truth, I really didn't enjoy the part of Samson, and especially the graphic way that he betrayed his GOD in his pursuit of love. Don't get me wrong, I "love" "love." Even though I knew what would happen, I felt bad for Samson when he was betrayed by his "love", Delilah. 

Here is the key question that I want to mull over tonight, "Was this really love?" Did Samson show GOD his faithfulness and purity in his life? NO, but in his death, GOD allowed him to find revenge. What is revenge, but another cheap imitation of real love, an attempt to prove that our love was true by hurting the hurters. Love is a word that I dare say has created more confusion and depression and resentment than it has helped! 

What about Jesus? What did HE have to say about love? He was very revolutionary in HIS thoughts, and in HIS actions. Here is what I think, Jesus shows us more about LOVE, real LOVE, than HE talks about it. Rather than trying to define love, HE just lived it. IF HE allows us to live for 100 more years, we won't be any closer to understanding LOVE than this one simple statement by Jesus, followed up by the Cross and by the Empty Tomb. What is that statement? " 

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." 

John 15:12-13 is where we read his revolutionary COMMAND to love, to SACRIFICE our own demands, and follow HIM to the Cross. Yes, we could watch "the Bachelor" or some other reality show. OR, we could Watch Jesus, and find from HIM the truth.  One last thought for the night, "LOVE will cost us all we have, but it is worth it because HE is worth it!" GOD Bless us to live the LOVE of JESUS!