"Many waters cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it. If a man would give for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly despised." (Song of Solomon 8:7)
The NLT says, "If a man tried to buy love with all his wealth, his offer would be utterly scorned." What rich man cannot agree with this? What poor man cannot agree with this? The old song, "We Ain't Go a Barrel of Money," says "but we'll travel along, singin' a song side by side." I have seen very unhappy rich people, and, I have seen very unhappy poor people and all the in-betweens. But I have seen people who love each other, people who live in countries and situations at which most people would shrink back in horror, yet they are people who, "utterly despise[]," any life without their love.
It is the sadest state for a human to live a life without the love of another. Yet (yes, you know what I am going to write) in Jesus Christ we have the love of another. What is sad, the "sophisticates" among us despise this love. "It just does not satisfy. It is too ethereal, too much like grasping for the wind." There is no doubt that to the natural mind and heart this is true. What is needed is an unnatural mind and heart, yes, unnatural. The dictionary defines "unnatural" as "in violation of natural law, inconsistent with an individual pattern or custom, deviating from a behavioral or social norm, in violation of natural feelings; inhuman." The problem with the "natural" life is that it is severely limited in what it can attain, "but with God all things are possible."
If you are lonely today, despair not. Right there with and in you is the greatest Love, the Living Triune God Who is also, "Immanuel, God with us," the One of Whom Wesley wrote, "Jesus, Lover of My Soul." Allow Jesus, Who Is Love, as in, "God is love," to be afresh to you today what, "many waters cannot quench.., nor...the floods drown," the love for which, "If a man would give...all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly despised."
Father, in Jesus' Name, today I first ask for forgiveness for ever seeking any other "love." Thank You so much for the loves in my life, and thank You for being Love, "which many waters cannot quench, nor...the floods drown." Amen.
The NLT says, "If a man tried to buy love with all his wealth, his offer would be utterly scorned." What rich man cannot agree with this? What poor man cannot agree with this? The old song, "We Ain't Go a Barrel of Money," says "but we'll travel along, singin' a song side by side." I have seen very unhappy rich people, and, I have seen very unhappy poor people and all the in-betweens. But I have seen people who love each other, people who live in countries and situations at which most people would shrink back in horror, yet they are people who, "utterly despise[]," any life without their love.
It is the sadest state for a human to live a life without the love of another. Yet (yes, you know what I am going to write) in Jesus Christ we have the love of another. What is sad, the "sophisticates" among us despise this love. "It just does not satisfy. It is too ethereal, too much like grasping for the wind." There is no doubt that to the natural mind and heart this is true. What is needed is an unnatural mind and heart, yes, unnatural. The dictionary defines "unnatural" as "in violation of natural law, inconsistent with an individual pattern or custom, deviating from a behavioral or social norm, in violation of natural feelings; inhuman." The problem with the "natural" life is that it is severely limited in what it can attain, "but with God all things are possible."
If you are lonely today, despair not. Right there with and in you is the greatest Love, the Living Triune God Who is also, "Immanuel, God with us," the One of Whom Wesley wrote, "Jesus, Lover of My Soul." Allow Jesus, Who Is Love, as in, "God is love," to be afresh to you today what, "many waters cannot quench.., nor...the floods drown," the love for which, "If a man would give...all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly despised."
Father, in Jesus' Name, today I first ask for forgiveness for ever seeking any other "love." Thank You so much for the loves in my life, and thank You for being Love, "which many waters cannot quench, nor...the floods drown." Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
