LOVE

The Princess Bride has been one of my favorite movies for many years… “Wuv, twue wuv…,” said the Impressive Clergyman. Then there is Westley’s line, “Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while.” (Though do not forget, “No more rhyming, I mean it!” Followed by, “Anybody want a peanut?” LOL. You know it, right?)

I think many of us have heard the statement, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friend.”(John 15:13) Jesus said this, and he said it at the last supper knowing that he would soon do that very thing. Can you think of anything more loving than willingly giving up your life because you LOVE.

Can you connect the dots: Christmas, Good Friday, Easter? Jesus was born as a man on Earth so that he could die. WHY? Jesus was God (Wow…the concept of God as Jesus is too big for this little blog). We are not God and never will be. We have been given freedom by God to choose to trust Him or not. We have the freedom to choose words and actions and attitudes. Our tendency is selfishness and self-preserving motivations–all of us. While we have good thoughts at times, good works at times, good attitudes at times, we also encompass sin. There is no way around this. To sin is to do wrong, anything wrong, to “miss the mark.” What mark? This is the one and only law of life and love as defined by God, the creator of…everything. If you choose to deny this, then what are you choosing? What is your truth built on and how do you define right and wrong? How do you decide what is Truth and what is not? What is your source for truth? Can your feelings be trusted and what if they are different from someone else’s feelings? Then who is right?

Now, Good Friday… Jesus died on the cross. Then Easter Sunday is celebrated just a few days later. Many people have heard about these things but have not connected the dots. Jesus knew he would be killed by men, and He never fought against it. Why? He is God. We cannot enter the presence of God in Heaven without making right our wrongdoings. Our sin makes us “unclean.” God’s law states that this “cleansing” we need requires bloodshed and sacrifice. Guess what? Jesus never sinned, He NEVER did anything wrong (because he was also God), yet HE provided His own body as this sacrifice so that we don’t have to give ours. Jesus died on the cross thereby paying OUR penalty for us. The amazing part of the story is that this was not the end… death did NOT win! On Sunday morning, the tomb where Jesus’ dead body lay, was empty. Jesus was not there because He became alive and still lives today! Jesus “rose from the grave” and this is why we celebrate Easter… it’s resurrection day! Jesus is alive because death cannot win! Even Westley knew this in his own way, “Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while.”

God IS love, Jesus IS Truth. All that is good in this world is from God. Because God has given us the ability to choose, to make decisions for ourselves, he will not force us to trust Him. So, what comes after this life on Earth? We all will live eternally; the difference among us is where, heaven or hell. If we trust in God, His law of life and love as written in the Bible, and we trust that Jesus was our sacrifice on Earth and now LIVES with God, then we will live in freedom and love. The concept is simple, but not easy. Most of us have many questions and pain from this world that we may never understand until life after death. This pain can cause bitterness and anger and resentment. This pain can cause us to turn as far away from God as we can possibly go. Yet, as we run away from God (LOVE), this only allows the evil that exists to hurt us more.

Jesus has open arms for you. Can you see it? If you have read this far today, it is no coincidence. Jesus desires for you to know Him, trust Him and feel His love for you. He cares for you as no human being ever could and He is waiting for you. Choose Jesus, trust Him with your life and you will know eternal freedom and love!

Soli Deo Gloria!