Love Lifted Me
... when everything else failed
Shades of a fading word
We can do little with love when its definition is lost.
Love! The mere sound of the word floods the mind with images, in shades of all kinds. As pleasant as it may seem, it has, surprisingly, faded smiling faces into oblivion for some. What was meant to be love left behind a sour experience.
There is another band that jumps at the sound of it. They lick their lips and clench their fingers. This contrast reveals a fundamental shift in its meaning. Exploring it further beyond a few texts, however hard the writer attempts to unite the divide, there are always grievances, even with a perfectly crafted essay.
Love has its origin, not in human language or denotation. It is not the dramatic rush of emotions. “Love is many things to many people”. No, this is misleading. Love is the very nature of God imparted to humanity. When we lose sight of its origin and essence, love eludes us. And this loss lies at the root of many of the troubles that have befallen mankind.
Friends, if we must redeem love, we must first agree that love is pure and originates from the creator of life.
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 1 John 4:8, 16b
Love is pure and originates from the creator of life.
When love comes
Like the click of a lock, like the hush of a gentle wave, love has a voice. It’s a universal language, leaving no creature in doubt of its presence. It denies no one its goodness. Yet love is said to have “come” only when we finally see it. Like air, water and sunlight, love is a gift from God. Free and abundant. And comes at no cost. Love was present long before we could lift a finger.
1Daniel Apache (such a dramatic name) once shared how He had wished for love. He prayed for it. Years have gone by, with no sign of it. He yearned for a friendship rooted in genuine mutual love. One day, as he waited outside a meeting hall, a lady approached him. She was a sister of the same fellowship. She greeted him warmly and asked how he was doing. At that time, He was going through some personal challenges, but kept to himself. Without disclosing his problems, she offered him a book, as though she could read the ailment on his face.
He accepted it reluctantly and left without much conversation. On his way home, he wondered why she had offered him a book he had not asked for. Perhaps she had nothing else to do, he thought. Getting home, he left the book in the corner of his room. Weeks later, he noticed the book again. Reluctantly, he picked it up to read. It was the balm he needed, like rain on a parched land. That was not all. Unknown to him, the answer to his many years of prayer had already arrived, standing quietly at the door, like a thief in the night. In time, they shared many years of a godly relationship, built on mutual love and deep friendship.
Jesus lived an everyday life in Nazareth. They saw him daily, but neglected his gift of love. They envisage that the Sun would rise from the palace, but it rose from the manger. Born to parents with little to their names in the small town of Bethlehem, he embraced the world and loved it dearly (John 3:16; 15:13). At the tomb of Larazus, the people observed, “See how much he loved him…” (John 11:36). He ate and drank with sinners without segregation, prompting the religious teachers and overseers of the day to question his person: “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” While in our religious affiliation, we often shy away from those whom we feel are beneath our “righteous” standing. In our holy regalia, let us not forget in a hurry that when we were yet sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
In Love, Christ tore the veil of the temple so that all might come to him (Mathew 11:28).
An everlasting love affair
An epistle to the Corinthians reveals centuries of the love tradition passed down through generations.
The very reason the centre cannot hold for a man and woman in marriage is the same reason it fails everywhere: unkindness, envy, self and pride. For it says love envies not, is kind, does not parade itself, is not puffed up — 1 Cor 13:4.
1 Cor 13 v 5: Love does not behave rudely (does not boss others around) — Turn the other cheek when you’re hit, don’t hit back. Love is the only way; the “fool’s” path to paradise.
— does not seek its own — Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. The world is what it is because every man seeks his own. There is a constant toil to be ahead of everyone. We constantly compare ourselves.
— is not provoked — We hear phrases like “Don’t step on my nerves!” What will happen when your nerve is stepped on, huh? Love is not provoked. Why is yours different?
thinks no evil — How often do we catch ourselves rehearsing wrongs and entertaining malice? Wrap it up. That’s not love.
1 Cor 13 vs 6: Does not rejoice in iniquity, but in the truth — Simply put, love does not take pleasure in injustice (harm done to others), but the truth. An eye for an eye is still a thing even in Christian circles. “I will show him how painful it is”. Do you secretly have good feelings when your enemy falls? “He can’t mess with me and go free”. We can modernise the world how we want, but not the heart. Only the one who created the heart can ‘modernise’ it. Love excites in the presence of the truth. For you shall know the truth, and it shall set you free.
1 Cor 13 vs 7: Love never gives up — We have witnessed parents give up on their children. Couples give up on each other. Good news! Love does not. Even in our worst state, it crawls back looking for us. (NLT)
— never loses faith — Where there is love, there is always faith, without which it’s impossible to please God (NLT).
is always hopeful — Hope is a stubborn thing because love is. Love writes no one off. Always gives a second chance.
— endures all things — Patience and long-suffering are rare virtues nowadays, but not where there is love. Love is the reason you’ll commit even when the chips are down.
1 Cor 13 vs 8: Love will last forever — Two proclaim their love for each other and become one. After several years, the centre can no longer hold. One becomes two; they go their separate ways. God’s love is different. It unites forever.
Love that lifts
The love that can lift us must come from outside us. It can’t be a product of our fallen nature and at the same time lift us. It must come from above. “If I be lifted from the earth…I will draw all men unto me”. What kind of love do we claim to have? Love rooted in human wisdom and self-interest? No! That will fail. The love we must seek is the love of Christ. A love beyond human possession. Beyond human knowledge. Else life remains an endless cycle of chaos. The love of Christ will chastise us, but build us. It is a redeeming love. Only when we become beneficiaries of this love can we become donors of it. We may pray fervently, give generously, preach eloquently, and receive public admiration, but the litmus test is love. It is the true identity for those who believe. When the mirror of love, as described in the Bible, is held before you, who do you see?
If we cling to our own ideology above Christ, we will miss the love of God.
Ephesians 3:19 sums it up nicely, “May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God”.
The love of God has come to lift us, but we must let go of everything else. Everything.
Listen to the audio deep dive.
While the name has been changed, the event is true.