Category: Holy Week

What is Love?

Definitions of Love

I think that there are almost too many definitions of love out there. A lot of the time people think romantically, which was what automatically came up when I was trying to find an image to go with this post! Just out of curiosity, I looked up several definitions of love. Apparently “true love” is “a strong and lasting affection between spouses or lovers who are in a happy, passionate and fulfilling relationship” (Yourdictionary.com). Other examples were between family and friends, caring about one another, or in terms of couples, having attraction.

None of these definitions satisfy me.

A Different Meaning

I believe that those types of love are important, but if someone remains single their whole life, that does not mean that they haven’t experienced “true love”. If someone loves their relative or friend (not romantically obviously), that does not mean that they aren’t “truly loving” that person.

The perfect example of true love is what Jesus did for us on Good Friday. You are probably rolling your eyes, thinking about how this is the typical “Christian” response. But let me tell you something– it can be the most comforting thing in the world to realize that someone fully human and yet having the power of God was willing to give EVERYTHING up to pay for your poor choices. All because He loves you more than anyone else ever can.

Obviously we can’t love each other as much as Jesus loves us, but we can demonstrate His example of true love.

Of course I’m not telling you to run out in front of a car in the hopes that you’ll prove your love for someone. What I’m saying is that my main issue with the media’s definition of love is that it’s so selfish. We don’t have to give up anything. We are merely looking for someone that makes us feel good.

You need people in your life that reciprocate your love or make you happy, but you also have to be willing to love difficult people. Even those that you love with all your heart may be in situations that cause you to give up something for them. If you’re willing to be selfless, like Jesus, then you are showing true love.

So this Good Friday, think about all that Jesus gave up to be in such a horrific situation, being mocked and betrayed, poked and stabbed, nailed to a wooden cross after this torturing, just for you. All He asks is that you be willing to accept this gift of love and share it with others.

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

1 John 4:7-8

Jesus’ Call to Action

What comes to mind when you think about the Last Supper and Jesus’ time in the garden?

For me, I’ve been trying to give it more thought this year since I’ve had more time to really appreciate Easter now that my regular life has been disrupted, as I’m sure yours has too. In a way, it’s a blessing, because although I miss getting to go to church for Easter and celebrating, it makes me spend more time thinking about what Easter actually means to me.

I’ve been reading through the Easter passages this week, and today I read about what happened on Thursday. Usually I just skim it and think about the overall messages. While I tried to read more in depth this time, some initial thoughts came to mind…

Who Do You Usually Turn to?

One overall message that comes to mind that I think is very important is how Jesus turned to God in his time of trouble because even His closest friends bailed out on Him. I’m sure you’ve have that moment in your life where someone near to you let you down. For me, those have been the most heartbreaking moments of my life. It makes me feel discouraged and as though I can’t trust anyone.

But those are also the moments when I’ve drawn closer to God. In a small group I’m in, we were actually discussing what benefits can come out of hardships, and the one that was often repeated was that our trials cause us to grow nearer to God. He will always be the One waiting for us when we need Him, even when His answer to our pleas is no.

Jesus asked God if there was any way for Him to not have to die on the cross. But He also said “let Your will be done”. We can ask God the tough questions, why things are the way they are, can things change…but we also have to make room for His will to be done. Sometimes, as difficult as it is, God’s answer is that He will be with you, but the suffering isn’t over. That can be hard to come to terms with, since we usually want our faith to feel easy and a way to make our lives better. And it does make our lives better because we always have a reason to feel joyful– God will never leave us.

A New Find in a Familiar Passage

I don’t know if reading this passage about Jesus in the garden with his sleeping disciples showed me different things now that I know about the Enneagram and being a Nine, but I felt compelled to respond to the section where Jesus finds that all of the disciples are asleep for the third time He’s come over to them. He is frustrated and gives them a call to action.

“The hour has come”, or “the time is near”, as different translations put it. He wants them to stop sleeping and start being there for each other.

I think that this is an appropriate call to action for us today. For me personally, it can be hard to get going and actually do something about what’s bothering me. Sometimes I feel called to reach out to difficult people or take on responsibilities that I know I should do but don’t feel like doing.

But the hour is now. The time will never be “perfect”. We need to step up and do our part for Jesus, or else we will be like the disciples, sleeping as their Lord and dearest friend was about to be killed on their behalf. I used to laugh at them and think that they were ridiculous for being able to sleep through such an event. But now I feel shame as I realize that every time I say no or “maybe later” to what God’s calling me to do, I’m acting the same way.

So today, think about what Jesus is calling you to do. Perhaps it’s something you’ve been avoiding, or maybe a new task that has yet to come to mind. Jesus doesn’t want us to sit around, even when we are quarantined. There are many ways for us to reach out to the isolated or spread God’s love through the media. The perfect time to do His will is now.

“Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.'”

Matthew 26:45