On love

Ripped this off a friend's blog... =)

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here I am sitting in front of my beloved iMac (17" G5) . Went to NUH in the morning for radiotherapy. I was listening to pastor's cd 'God has made the way for restoration, claim it!' in april 2004. I had been plagued by doubts about my healing the past few days, but, as it turns out, there's NO CAUSE for worry! Jesus has died and has risen for my justification, and God has declared me righteous, and punished for my wholeness! I have been healed, and eagerly await the doctor's report.I was musing about the nature of love this morning as I was waiting to see my doctor. It's just so amazing that the greatest enjoyment one can have (to give and receive love) is so freely given. All the other pleasures of life have to be bought, and usually, the strength of the pleasure is proportional to the price paid (think heroin. alcohol. LAN. not that they are without side effects, which might cause the net pleasure enjoyed to drop, but that's another article altogether) but love is priceless. What's price do we pay for love? The price is that we love the person first, as Christ loved us and gave His life for us.

One amazing thing is, we actually enjoy the act of loving. Think BGR. We feel pleasure when we give pleasure. We love to see our loved ones smile. 'Your smile makes me feel like a million bucks'. That's something I believe all couples can attest to. Where else can we find joy in paying the price for the pleasure itself?Then there's the receiving of the love of another, or, in legalese, the consideration given in return for the consideration you provide. To know that someone (You too, Lord) loves you and desires you for who you are just brings a thrill to your heart. It does to mine, anyway.Of course, there're different types of love.

First, Eros, or sexual love, the force of physical attraction between a man and a woman. (and, increasingly, between man and man or woman and woman, but again, this subject should be reserved for another article altogether) This is the love that gives pleasure to a touch and a kiss, and finds its highest expression in the act of sexual intercourse, ordained by God to be the greatest act of pleasure, to be enjoyed in the covenant of marriage.

Next, Phileo, the love between siblings (does that include friends too? I think it should, but my Greek is highly circumscribed) is the 'normal' type of love that we experience in most of our relationships with friends.

Finally, Agape, the love God has for us, and, as Romans 5:5 says, the love that has been shed in our hearts. (those of us who are saved through His name, through faith in His name) This sort of love is self sacrificial, tolerant, etc. etc. (oh I can't describe it better than Paul did, in 1 Cor 13) There is no better example than the BBQ on Friday. Kaix (bless you brother, who art in Taiwan) remarked in passing that in our CG, the guys always seem to 'ta' (that's bear, as in bear responsibility) everything, like sending the girls back after supper, preparing the food (for the bbq), cooking, etc. I really feel that's an exemplary instance of Agape, and it's this sort of 'training' that puts us in good stead for marriage.

On a seperate note, the heart of service also stems from the heart filled to the overflow with the Agape of God. (again, that's another article altogether) I really thank God that the men in my CG (that's JC West A, and yes, we're men, not boys.) are so filled with the haseth (that's lovingkindness, or grace) of God. It's just so amazing, the fellowship and sense of destiny that we all have. It can only be due to the undeserved favour of Jesus. We're all works in progress, shaped by the Master Potter's hands day by day. And this I prophesy: We will all be the boyfriends and then husbands of the ones God has ordained for us. And we will be numbered amongst the best. All because of the sozo power that daily saves us.

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I thought this was really from the heart. =) Thanks brother... Glory to God.