The Violent Promise Keeper

Love is...

... God, who chose to save people who hated Him when He would have been perfectly just to merely destroy them.  But He didn't stop there, because as time went on, He perfectly, faithfully, and willingly granted mercy to His people, the Hebrews, over and over again, in spite of the fact that they betrayed Him repeatedly.

God's love permeates the Old Testament.

"Wait... what?!  Did you say 'God's love permeates the Old Testament'?"

Oh, yes, my friend.  Although folks often want to focus on the Hebrew invasions and killings of the Gentiles and accuse God of cruelty, what would have happened if He had not commanded them to do those things?  He would not have been able to fulfill the promises He had made to them - to His own people.  And that would have been very unloving, indeed.  But instead, He was willing to be accused of being evil, of being unloving, and ultimately, of not existing, in order to show undeserved, yet tremendous love, mercy, and grace to His children.  And actually, it is because of the very fact that He was willing to do such things that His children can always trust Him to make good on His promises to them.

God is the perfect promise keeper.  God. is. Love.

But I am NOT a Morning Person!

 #1

Love is...

...waking up in the morning all groggy and cranky after a night of very little sleep, and instead of grumbling, complaining, or yelling at your spouse and children like you really want to (because there's a mess in the kitchen and your children have not done their morning chores like they know they are supposed to), you give thanks to God and ask for His help, put on a bright smile, give big hugs all around, and say, "Good Morning!  I'm so happy to see you today!"

Why Blog About Love?

I know what you're thinking, "Another blog about love?!  I mean, really... aren't there a million blogs out there on the subject?"  Maybe so.  But my goal is not to sing the praises of romance or tell sweet stories or rehash cliches.

No.

In an age where the word "love" is tossed around to the point of meaninglessness...

     ...my intent is to define what love. actually. is.

In an era where most marriages end in divorce and people have bought into the notion of being "in love"...

     ...my objective is to re-evaluate the kind of "love" the world has given us.

And in a generation where selfishness prevails...

     ...my mission is to see true love saturate everything I am and everything I do.

I admit that last part frightens me.  It frightens me because it will force me to examine my actions, my motives, my heart... myself.  And that means I will become more aware of how I must change.  I'm sure at times, I'll wish I'd never started this.  But in the process, I will be led to joy... and, more importantly, to Love Himself.

And Love never fails.