“Head Over Heels in Love"

“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways”

So begins a famous love poem by Elizabeth Browning, a favorite of romantics around the world.

“I love thee with the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life! --- And, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.”

Has anyone ever loved or is loving you like that?

Definitely! We do have a lover not only far more poetic but also loves us with an overwhelming love.

Throughout the scripture God depicts himself as our ardor suitor….our persistent lover.

Beloved,

My love for you began even before you were conceived.

 I loved being with you. If you fly to the highest heaven or dive into the deepest sea, I’ll be holding hands with you. I take great delight in watching the moment you lay down to sleep and greet you with a smile when you awaken.

What your mind is thinking and what your tongue’s about to say, preoccupies my thoughts.

You’re always in my mind.

And if you’ll try to count my thoughts about you it will outnumber the grain of sands on the beach. How can I take you out of my mind when your name is written on the palms of my hands?

I love singing with you when you’re rejoicing, and quietly stay by your side when you’re sad. My loving embrace protects you from harm.

My love reaches to the heavens; my faithfulness to the skies. You cannot measure the height and depth, the length and width of my love for you.

I love you with an everlasting love.^*

It almost sounds like blasphemy, seems so absurd, may be at the very least shameful to describe God’s affectionate embrace of us the way it is described above. But those are taken from the scripture. How could the ruler of the universe be so enamored with clay creatures like us in that manner?

Why do You care about us humans? Why are you concerned for us weaklings? Psalm 8:4 CEV

Scripture after scripture, story after story it is so dumbfounding to realize how much God loves us.

“Jerusalem…When you were born, no one cut you loose from your mother or washed your body. No one rubbed your skin with salt and olive oil, and wrapped you in warm blankets. Not one person loved you enough to do any of these things, and no one even felt sorry for you… Then I solemnly promised that you would belong to me and that I, the LORD God, would take care of you. I washed the blood off you and rubbed your skin with olive oil. I gave you the finest clothes and the most expensive robes, as well as sandals made from the best leather. I gave you bracelets, a necklace, a ring for your nose, some earrings, and a beautiful crown. Your jewelry was gold and silver and your clothes were made of only the finest material and embroidered linen. Your bread was baked from fine flour, and you ate honey and olive oil. You were as beautiful as a queen, and everyone on earth knew it. I, the LORD God, had helped you become a lovely young woman.” Ezekiel 16:1-13.

Tell me whose woman in the world won’t fall in love with a man who’ll do these things to her.

Yet, after all this… we still broke his heart. We all chose anything and anyone over him.

Starting from Adam, the predeluvian people, the post flood nations, the people of Israel and up to all the people of our days, none ever reciprocated his love; no one was ever faithful to him.

“Not one of them understands, or even searches for God. They have all turned away “Romans 3:11-12

But this didn’t stop Him from loving us. His plan to pursue us will not be stopped.

For I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).

Starting form Adam, the predeluvian people, the post flood nations, the people of Israel and up to every single one of us, He remained faithful. His love never wavered.

He took the step to adjust to our situation; to fix any compatibility issues, to save our relationship.

“Don’t be afraid or ashamed and don’t be discouraged. You won’t be disappointed. Forget how sinful you were when you were young. The Lord…he is your husband and he will rescue you. You were like a young wife, brokenhearted and crying because her husband had divorced her…I am taking you back…with love and tenderness I will embrace you again…and love you forever.” Isaiah 54:4-8 CEV

Whatever it took; anything that was necessary, even to the point of death he was willing to do and he did.

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.” (Titus 3:4-5)

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is Love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10)

People argue how much love-ratio should couples invest in their relationships.

Some says 50/50. Others insist 100/100. And certainly not 0/0.

Yet God gave everything even when we gave nothing at all.

 *Psalm 139:1,3,15, 17 34:18 Romans 8:31-32; Jeremiah 1:4-5;Isaiah 49:15:16;Zephaniah 3:17;Jeremiah 31:3;Isaiah 41:13 Adaptation and Paraphrase mine