By Esther Kung’u
Love is not a place, to come and go
as we please
It’s a house we enter in, then
commit to never leave
So lock the door the door behind you
Throw away the key
Work it out together
Let it bring us to our knees
Love is a shelter in raging storm
Love is a peace in the middle of a
war
And if we try to leave, let God send
angels to guard the door
Love is not a fight, but it’s
something worth fighting for.
“Love is not fight” by Warren
Barfield.
I flip through chapters in the Bible and I often find God’s ‘love letters’
written for the hearts of men. Actually, the Bible’s theme from Genesis to
Revelation is that of love. God’s love. God is Love (1 Jn 4:8) and His
commitment is to LOVE you and me. Take Isaiah 43:4 “…since you are precious
in my sight, since you are honored and I love you,” and the all-too common
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…”
One may think that the agape (unconditional) love exhibited in God’s nature
limit Him from being a genuinely romantic Husband to His Bride (the church).
God makes His love known to through Prophet Zechariah in chapter 2 verse 8
that, “…he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye.” How sweet.
Most hurdles and upheavals we face in the world today stem from the lack
of love. The separation of Israel
as God’s chosen people (Gen.35:10-12) in the Old Testament would later echo in
Jesus’ love for the Church, His bride (Rev.19:7, 21:9, Heb 5:25). The New
Testament is the image of the Old Testament. As it was in the beginning, God’s
love is evident in all the chapters in His word, oh yes even in Numbers.
Aaron’s benediction to the children of Israel is one of the popular verses
in many sermons, today (Num 6:22). In the Mosaic Law, God’s command was for Israel to never
interact with other nations or their cultures. It is necessary to note that God
did not refuse to accommodate foreigners who chose to seek His face and forsake
their pagan rituals for the sake of the Holy God. He even used unthinkable ‘servants’
to bring victory for Israel.
Rahab, a harlot (Josh 2), Ruth, a Moabite (Ruth 1:4) and Cornelius, an Italian
centurion (Acts 10:1-23), these are some of the few people that God used to
accomplish His will.
Within three days after crucifixion, God through His Son Jesus Christ descended
into hell to preach the good news of salvation to men and women who had died
(from all nations) before Christ’s first coming. The same God that covertly
predicted a demonstration of His sacrificial love in the life of Abraham is
able to love you today. You just have to call on Him and do so with the right
motive. You cannot ask for His love when your heart is not at peace with your
neighbor. (Mark 11:25)
Jesus brought about a change in the Mosaic Law by introducing the order
of grace to humanity. This period of grace (which, I presume, is said
repeatedly in almost every sermon you have heard and which I continue to
emphasize) is with us but temporarily. Remember, salvation is free for everyone
but it is limited only to life on earth. Where we are headed is a perfect and
permanent place. There, Love lives. Love is God. There we will find Love seated
on His throne ready to judge all humanity. This time round, Love will not have
mercy in His hand but justice.
He will hand every person their reward according to their actions. Do not let
that little tinge of jealousy, hatred, anger caused by the lack of love in your
heart render you condemned to burn in the eternal fire. Ask the source of love
to help you love others, even your enemies. Jesus commanded his disciples to
love, not only their friends (read their kindred), but their enemies as well
(Matt 5:44). Today, the national wars, regional conflicts and even family
disputes we behold in the world have a simple solution: love. Just as Warren
Barfield says that love is a shelter in a raging storm, love is the only way
human beings will achieve peace, harmony and co-existence.
Yours in Christ,
Esther Kung’u.
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