Most Ardently

I have found him. The perfect lover. He calls me Beloved. He greets me every morning with words of love and joy. His unconditional love offers grace when I'm less than perfect. It doesn't alter or fade with the weather. I don't deserve this love. But who does?

No, my lover is not Mr. Darcy or Col. Brandon.  His raptures go above and beyond the passions of Mr. Rochester and his displays of affection far surpass the noble acts of Mr. Knightley.  His beauty is not superficial like that of Tom Hiddleston or Ryan Gosling, on the contrary, He is radiant. 

I found this quote today in my copy of "The Gold Cord" by Amy Carmichael. 

"Here lies a lover who has died for his Beloved, and for love; who has loved his Beloved with a love that is good, great, and enduring; who has battled bravely for love's sake, who has striven against false love and false lovers; a lover ever humble, patient, loyal, ardent, liberal, prudent, holy and full of all good things, inspiring many lovers to honor and serve his Beloved." -Raymond Lull

What greater lover is there than Christ?? 

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13 ESV

The lovers I mentioned above and countless others, fictional and nonfictional, are only shadows of the love of Christ. The Word of God says he is abounding in steadfast love (Psalm 86:15). There is also no possible way to be separated from Christ's love as believers. (Romans 8:37-39) 

I find the end of this quote is my favorite. "Inspiring many lovers to honor and serve his Beloved."  The Story is ultimately the greatest love story ever written! What story does not try to mimic its arc? We all want to be called Beloved by a Mr. Darcy. But try as we might, fictional and nonfictional lovers are all flawed human beings/types. Every lover is only inspired by the true lover and can never satisfy the craving for love within us. Only Christ can fulfill the desire of our heart. 

The second truth I pull from the final sentence of Lull's quote, is that Christ doesn't just inspire "other" lovers... He inspires me as a lover. If Christ is the perfect lover than shouldn't we imitate Him in our love? We should love as Christ loves us and gave himself for us. (John 13:34) If you haven't already, I would suggest the exercise of reading aloud 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, and substituting the word "love" for your own name. Striving to be like Christ reveals in a new way that we are flawed, and brings us back to the realization that we don't deserve HIS love! 

Christ's love is passionate, enduring, and ardent. (I just really love that word, "ardent", ok!!??) 

YOU ARE LOVED!!!!! (Most ardently!!!)