Is it love?

I have just started reading a book I received for Christmas from my lovely uncle and aunt, called, “Love Story” by Nichole Nordeman. I have only read the first chapter (on Creation), but she expressed so well some of the questions that I often ask myself, that I am looking forward to reading more, and understanding more of the depth and breadth of God’s love for us. Shortly after reading this chapter, I listened to a Christmas sermon that focused on the death of Christ. As I held together in my head Creation and Crucifixion, I wondered, “Why?” Why would God create a world that He knew would lead to the cross? Where is love in such an act?

But then it was as if I could overhear a conversation that took place in heaven before the beginning of time, as God and His Son talked together about their plan to make the world. As they got excited about making a beautiful Earth, filling it with life, making people in their image that they would be able to interact with and enjoy being with, delighting in loving them and receiving their love, God said, “But you know what this will involve, don’t you?” And Jesus said, “Yes, I know.” It didn’t need to be put into words. They knew that if they made people in their image, with the potential to love in great measure and with the ability to make choices, that some would choose not to love. That some would not choose God and His Son, but would instead look for their own ways to love and enjoy life. And those choices only lead to death. And ultimately those choices would lead to the death of God’s Son. Because His love wouldn’t stop when human love did. His love would mean that He would die Himself, rather than give up on us. He created us with potential, He created us in His image, and His love means that He will not abandon that potential, but rather die Himself to bring about new life, eternal life, greater potential. Renewed hope.

And so God said, “You know what this will involve, don’t you?” And Jesus said, “Yes, I know.” He did not back out when He acknowledged the cost. The cross. Instead He said, “Let there be…” And there was. And we came into existence. And when the time came to pay the price of love, He became like one of us, like those He created. Yet perfect. He fulfilled His potential and loved unselfishly. He loved us to the point of dying for us, in that most terrible event and yet that most wonderful display of love, at the cross. So yes, it is love, that God should make this world, while knowing that we would destroy it. It is love, that God would make us to know Him, while knowing that we would choose not to. It is love that God would pour out His love, while knowing that He would be unloved. It is love that God would create life and beauty, while knowing that He himself would have to die an ugly death. It is love. And we can choose to love Him back and enjoy Him and delight in and thank Him for all the potential He gave us to be like Him and be loved by Him. Or we can choose not to. But oh what a sad choice that would be, to choose not to love our Maker and be loved eternally by His unselfish love.

It is love

When you consider freedom together with fighting,

When you consider life together with loss,

When you consider joy together with judgement,

When you consider creation together with the cross,

I wonder, “Why?”

I wonder why our God made the universe,

I wonder why he put life on the earth,

I wonder why he created humanity,

I wonder why he made us of worth.

I question love.

Is it love that makes what will be destroyed?

Is it love that forms relationships that will break?

Is it love that breathes life to what will die?

Is it love that gives, only to take?

It is love.

It is love, that led God to agree

With His son, before time began,

That though love would not be returned,

They’d still go ahead with their plan.

It is love.

It is love that made man in God’s image,

It is love that said, “Come and love me”,

It is love that allowed us to choose,

It is love that took God to the tree.

It is love.

It is love that though we made choices

That destroyed the potential God gave

He never stopped loving and giving

When giving led Him to the grave.

It is love.