The Four Letter Word

I'm not really sure what to write about so let's see where my mind will take me (and you as well, my dear sojourner)

Love.

An abstract, intangible idea. Poets, philosophers, psychologists, scientists, theologians and love-struck teenagers have tried to come up with a grand explanation to this four letter-word. To identify each claim will only be a waste of effort.

Now just to be clear, although I hate sounding defensive, I ain't gonna talk about romantic love or Cupid or boy-crushes. Besides, aren't you fed up with all that shizzles? With media and society bombarding us with telenovelas and cheap love and... I'll stop myself  'cause it'll take another entry to talk about this.

Has "love" become that complex that we don't even know what our genuine response is? Or have we tainted it with so much meaning that it has become as messy as postmodern art - an abstract painting?

Apparently, when we think/talk about God's love, it still appears to be... complex. Or should it be? Well, the songs and the verses tell us it is incomprehensible. But is it? Is it because His is so great that none can fathom it? Does that mean, however, that we cannot experience His love to the fullest measure?

Maybe we cannot fully grasp it and I guess that's what love does, you know. It allows room for never-ending exploration. For mystery. For wonder. That maybe we can never understand it to His understanding And that's not necessarily wrong.

Maybe.. it's beyond logic. But does not reject logic. Maybe it's giving room for faith. For a 40 ft free-fall jump. But of course, we all know that.

Whether Christian, Catholic, Muslim or Agnostic, we have all heard about the famous illustration of His love - the cross. And that is precisely the reason. He died to bring life. Not for Himself. But for us.

And admit it, after hearing it from the pulpit from the 1556400th time, it wears us out. Overchurched brothers and sisters say Amen. And that's where the question really lies: how can we really say that we have encountered His love? Is it because we simply know it? Or we have just decided to believe that He loves us? But how do we believe? Is it a mind-conditioning ritual that all Christians are supposed to do?

Or are we asking the wrong questions?

But His love exceeds understanding. Feeling. And even words. It is powerful. It is whole. It is.. dangerous.

And what I mean by that. It pushes oneself to his limits. Imagine a God jealous for man? How is it possible, right?

But He is. He loves us deeply. Passionately. Personally. It creeps me out (a good kind of fear, okay)

It is tasted. It is lived out. It is experienced. Genuinely. Powerfully. Wholly, without any glitch.

He loves us too much that He gave Himself wholly and gave us freedom to respond to His love freely.

Like any mortal, I am filthy despite the "Christian" label. Not because I do not live by the "Christian standard of doing Christianity." And often, I become suffocated by it and therefore miss out the truth about my being.

What then is the truth about our purpose? I don't think it's to earn star stamps and stickers.

It's to experience His love. Remain in it. And love Him back. It won't be difficult to love others then, would it not?

Maybe it's not that complex after all.

It wouldn't be if we just stop pretending and pouring empty love.

At least today, I choose to love You.

At least today, I do.