I took communion today. It’s something I’ve been doing more and more often. Taking communion daily reminds me how much I’m loved.
Today while taking communion I was reminded that there are two sides to love. I’ve heard people say for a long time now that love should be easy, and it shouldn’t require suffering before attainment. And to a certain degree, I must say yes. That is correct.
I am reminded, though, of the love that Jesus showed for each of us. It was bloody AND it was beautiful. It was tragic AND it was triumphant. It was dismal AND it was delightful. You see, Jesus love fueled him to be tortured and killed which provided the path for him to be resurrected.
So where am I going with this?
I believe wholeheartedly that there are two sides to love: the side that isn’t so cute. It is the side to love that is filled with the desire of all the things that it hasn’t yet seen. This side may include tears, fears, learning, unlearning, uncertainty, heartbreak, struggles forgiving, etc.
But if we wait.
If we continue towards the joy that our hope can bring...
We can make it to the other side.
On this side, we see the glory from all the gruel some things we have endured on the bloody side. On this side we smile a smile that marvels the beauty that has grown from the ashes. On this side, the things we hoped for on the other side are now our reality. We are healthy. We are whole. We are cared for, honored, prioritized, and respected. We are loved in our love language. We aren’t afraid of vulnerability and open communication. Our heart is taken seriously.
The side of love that produces more work than results and more hope than happiness doesn’t lessen the value of that side of love. In fact, it is what develops in us on this side that qualifies us for the other side; the brighter side. For it’s been said that without a cross there can simply be no crown. That might be in the Bible or it may just be a gospel song. One song I know for sure is Save Room by John Legend and he says, “love hurts sometimes when you do it right.”
And I believe that. Jesus’ love story with us was filled with a side of gory and a side of glory. While we are not Jesus, we are created in his image and we shouldn’t run away from the gory parts of love. If we journey this side with intention and conviction, glory is coming.
If your love story is between gory and glory, today you’re on my mind. I love you with my full heart and I pray that in the meantime, you will cherish both sides of love.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Commentaires