Everybody Loves Love

Everybody loves love. You know, the fairytale kind...

My husband and I recently visited New York City for the first time. One of the first things we noticed upon our arrival was how everyone seemed to be in a hurry. We quickly learned to elbow our way through Times Square and to watch for crazy-fast taxi drivers before stepping off a curb. One thing we found funny was the constant horn blowing. Those drivers don't kid around! If someone got in their way, they were quick to blow the horn with impatience.

But something happened one night that took me by surprise. As we were pushing our way through the masses of people in Times Square, I noticed a bride and groom being photographed. We stopped to watch like so many other people had. They were a beautiful couple. Traffic had stopped at the nearby red light, and an antique car was in the midst. I saw the photographer lean into the window, apparently asking if he could photograph the newlyweds next to the car. The driver pulled out of traffic as much as possible, but was still blocking several cars. The photographer shot several photos, then waved the driver on his way. Much to my surprise, during that minute or two, I didn't hear a single horn blow. That's when it dawned on me...

Everybody loves love. We love storybook weddings and fairytale endings. We love the fruits of love. We imagine romance, intimacy and untainted love. We stand in awe to watch when we see it.

The truth is love is difficult. Anybody that's ever loved knows that. It's hard work. And while there may be storybook weddings and fairytale endings, the chapters between are often filled with grit and dirt...selfishness, betrayal, rejection. Those pages are where true love stories can be written...forgiveness, grace, mercy.

Still, there's an even greater love.

The ultimate Lover comes to us and beckons us with romance and intimacy. He knows our deepest desires and wants to talk with us about them. He forgave us before we ever even betrayed Him. He supplied grace and mercy before we ever knew we needed them. He takes our grit and dirt, and turns them into beauty. His love is immeasurable and unfailing.

Yet, somehow, we take His love for granted. We rarely stop to stand in awe, recognizing His is the greatest love of all, freely offered to us just as we are.

The thought occurs to me...maybe if we stand in awe of His love and allow it to transform us, we'd be the kind of true lovers we daydream about when we see a storybook wedding or a fairytale ending...