He is my definition of love and I'll call Him Love. He was betrayed with a kiss in that garden. Love can be betrayed but love doesn't betray. Love is kind, patient, does not envy, does not boast, is not proud, not rude. Even after being despised and rejected by those He came to save.
Love was tried, questioned by people in authority, the authority He had given them and yet love kept silent and didn't throw His sovereignity in the faces of those who oppressed and afflicted Him. Love stayed humble, not using His godly privileges to fight back or show off. He chose to suffer more than any man ever will. Suffering for the same people who spat in His face. Love is not self-seeking, it willingly sacrificed it's life for the salvation of our souls.
It is not easily angered, when it was dragged down, hit, hailed insults at, and nailed on that cross, mocked , love did not get mad. It does not keep a record of wrongs, amidst loves hurts, afflictions and suffering, love cried; "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do". Love had forgiven us, and was calling His father to forgive us. We were forgiven in the act of murdering it.
Love does not rejoice in wrong but rejoices with the truth, it is because we had sinned that love came to redeem us, take us away from the wrong, the darkness, to rejoice with us in the light, the truth, love is true.
Love always protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres. From the moment love incarnatted, it was tested, betrayed and on the via Dolorosa, the way of suffering, love was hit left, right, centre, 39 lashes, we didn't want to kill Him, just make Him suffer to the dying extent. Yet love didn't budge, for love was protecting us, love was trusting His sacrifice will save us, love was hoping we will choose Him, and love persevered through all the pain, physical, emotional, spiritual. Because love knew, Love never fails and Love Won.
And now these 3 remain, Faith, Hope and love.
FAITH is willingly sacrificing your life for the very same people persecuting you with HOPE which is expecting that these people will finally get to realise, who you are, what you are doing and expecting they will believe in you and be saved because you love them and LOVE, is the action. It is all this put in one. It is acting on all you know and believe, all you you have faith in and hope for.That's why the greatest of these is love and love lives in our lives. And love is Jesus, and Jesus is love. I believe in perfect love because He who calls us to it is love Himself and He is perfect. 1 Corinthians 13, Isaiah 53.
