True Love Conquers Fear

"Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame. Many waters cannot quench love, nor can rivers drown it."
                                            Excerpts from Song of Songs 8:6-7

Barry White, Cupid, The Love Boat, Make Love Not War...........these are the things we have patterned our concept of love after if we have been "out there" and away from our relationship with God. If we look back at what we thought love was, we may begin to break out in uncontrollable laughter as we think, "man what was I thinking?"

Others have been hurt so badly or inflicted that pain themselves that love is filled with fear to them, any thought of feeling it again makes them run. Then there is loving ourselves, another matter entirely for those of us who have experienced low self worth and possibly never experiencing a nurturing environment in our families.

Bottom line, love is tough. Not understanding what it really is creates fear, but True Love Conquers Fear!

When we understand the love Christ had for people, all kinds, all sizes, we understand that what he wants us to do is be in relationship that stems from love, not fear. What he wants us to understand is that he wants all of us to be inclusive of love, so much so that our lives are all about coming from a place of love as we approach our fellow man and woman. As it says, "many waters cannot quench love", but what it doesn't say is how easily our definition of love can be quenched by defeat, broken dreams, broken families.

I have experienced both forms of love now and have come to the conclusion that loving as many people as possible creates a life of love and prevents you from fearing any failure that comes from it. The real success is that our hearts become open to accept love and to freely extend it even when it is a little scary. The flame of love is then never quenched.

And, the flame of God's Spirit is always lit in how we are able love. As that song goes, "light the fire in my soul, make me _____, make me whole". (forgot the words, but not how to love).