God’s Line of Love
“And I pray that you, being rooted and
established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp
how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” Ephesians 3:18
Country music is known for its colorful
lyrics. We're told that
Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas was a country music fan. He delighted
in recounting the titles of his favorite songs. Among them were, "When the
Phone Don't Ring, You'll Know It's Me," "Walk Out Backwards, So I'll
Think You're Coming In," and "My Wife Ran Off with My Best Friend,
and I Sure Do Miss Him." These gems were found in an album titled
"Songs I Learned at My Mother's Knee, and at Other Joints."
One sentimental Country song popular a short time back was titled, "A Long Line of Love." It tells of a young man who is getting married. His sweetheart asks him if he thinks they can make it. His answer is "I come from a long line of love." Then he talks about his parents' marriage and his grandparents' and at the end of each refrain he sings, "Forever's in my heart and in my blood...I come from a long line of love."
A three-year-old girl became very ill. She was so critically ill that she had to stay in the hospital for many months. In all those months, her mother never once left her hospital bed. A petite woman, weighing little more than ninety pounds, this mother stayed right with her daughter day and night, displaying an amazing strength which inspired her family and friends.
Eventually the little girl recovered. Once she was home, everyone asked her mother how she had done it. How could anyone have the strength to do what she did? The young mother smiled warmly, and told her questioners, "She's my child. I love her more than breathing. She needed me. She needed me as never before. I had to do it. I had to be there for her!" That's love, isn't it? It's not, "I love you for what you can do for me." Or "I'll love you as long as it is convenient." No. It's, "I'll love you no matter what. I'll always be there."
One sentimental Country song popular a short time back was titled, "A Long Line of Love." It tells of a young man who is getting married. His sweetheart asks him if he thinks they can make it. His answer is "I come from a long line of love." Then he talks about his parents' marriage and his grandparents' and at the end of each refrain he sings, "Forever's in my heart and in my blood...I come from a long line of love."
A three-year-old girl became very ill. She was so critically ill that she had to stay in the hospital for many months. In all those months, her mother never once left her hospital bed. A petite woman, weighing little more than ninety pounds, this mother stayed right with her daughter day and night, displaying an amazing strength which inspired her family and friends.
Eventually the little girl recovered. Once she was home, everyone asked her mother how she had done it. How could anyone have the strength to do what she did? The young mother smiled warmly, and told her questioners, "She's my child. I love her more than breathing. She needed me. She needed me as never before. I had to do it. I had to be there for her!" That's love, isn't it? It's not, "I love you for what you can do for me." Or "I'll love you as long as it is convenient." No. It's, "I'll love you no matter what. I'll always be there."
One day a relative of Naomi's named Boaz
noticed Ruth gathering grain.
She was different from the other women, more graceful. Naomi played match-maker
and fixed her daughter-in-law up with Boaz. After the wedding, Ruth bore a son
in Bethlehem, named Obed, and Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the
father of King David, and David was eventually an ancestor of another baby boy
born in Bethlehem many years later named Jesus. Isn't it interesting that in
the lineage of Jesus there is a Moabite woman named Ruth? She is there because
of her loyalty to her mother-in-law. Do you see now why I say that Jesus came
from a long line of love? And so do we.
That is the heart of our message of the gospel. “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” Ephesians 3:18 That is what the cross is all about. It is about a love that never quits, never gives up, never fails. It is agape love " love from the heart of God. It's not, "I love you for what you can do for me;" or "I'll love you as long as it is convenient." It's, "I'll love you no matter what. I'll always be there for you." And you and I are the recipients of that love. There is a red ribbon that extends from our lives all the way back to Calvary. Over the past two thousand years folks just like us have believed in that love, and they've passed that love on. Through plagues and famines, oftentimes under barbaric oppression, they did not let go of it. And we are the recipients of that love.
We come from a long line of love. It would be tragic if in our obsession with the satisfactions of the moment, we should allow that ribbon to become frayed and finally to break. We come from a long line of love. So was Jesus. So are you and I. Do you know about that kind of love? It is the Love that says, "I love you " not because I need you but because you are you. I will always be there no matter what." Now that’s what I call true love.
That is the heart of our message of the gospel. “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” Ephesians 3:18 That is what the cross is all about. It is about a love that never quits, never gives up, never fails. It is agape love " love from the heart of God. It's not, "I love you for what you can do for me;" or "I'll love you as long as it is convenient." It's, "I'll love you no matter what. I'll always be there for you." And you and I are the recipients of that love. There is a red ribbon that extends from our lives all the way back to Calvary. Over the past two thousand years folks just like us have believed in that love, and they've passed that love on. Through plagues and famines, oftentimes under barbaric oppression, they did not let go of it. And we are the recipients of that love.
We come from a long line of love. It would be tragic if in our obsession with the satisfactions of the moment, we should allow that ribbon to become frayed and finally to break. We come from a long line of love. So was Jesus. So are you and I. Do you know about that kind of love? It is the Love that says, "I love you " not because I need you but because you are you. I will always be there no matter what." Now that’s what I call true love.
Terry Risser
Consider reading the Word today:
Copyright
2014- Terry Risser
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