The Greatest Love Story Of All...

So I've rambled about Lent and a keg at the Episcopal Mardi Gras, talked a little about mimosas, cupcakes, and fabulousity. I wasn't planning to write again today until it struck me while I was sitting at the Praise Service at First United Methodist tonight that the Episcopalians have nothing on us and for Methodists we were almost evangelical this evening at our February "Praise and Graze" where Promise, our almost famous rock-style band sang things from "Givin It Up for His Love, Everything, I'm giving it up for His love right now" (in honor of Lent, of course) to a Christian remix of "Love Train". We ate everything from ribs & other comfort food to dandelion dip and chocolate desserts. Our praise service usually moves me but tonight was particularly powerful as I am in this phase of reflection. The theme was 'Taste and See' and as Sterling Boykin read our scripture lesson from Psalms and John, I realized as I was invited to do this, I was hearing the Greatest Love Story Ever Told in a completely different way. I'm sure countless true Biblical scholars have called referred to it this way but tonight my heart (that has felt a bit empty and broken as I spent another Valentine's as a single person)is overflowing and overwhelmed by the thought of God's love for us and me specifically.

As a small child I memorized John 3:16 but heard it tonight in a completely different context for some reason. Tonight as I listened to everything we were singing, saying, praising, worshiping, thinking and praying I understood this Valentine's season that God's love for me was not just 'love' (a word I haven't liked very much over the last few years for other reasons). Not an empty "I love you" politely said just because. God's love for us is indeed a LOVE STORY, a romance, a passion for His children. It is a love thats "Deeper than my view of grace, Higher than this worldly place, Longer than this road I travel, Wider than the gap You filled..." (jami smith) to quote another song. It is amazing and beyond my understanding but a love that will fill me up and never let me fall.

The passion of our Lord is told throughout the Bible. It can be found in the story of Christ's birth, death & resurrection. It is backed up in the Old Testament by the way we can see God's plan as told by the prophets. Everything unfolds from start to finish and one day will be wrapped up as when the Bridegroom returns to earth. In a passage that I've heard all of my life I find the greatest gift and greatest love of all. What Jesus tells Nicodemus in John 3:11-17 sums it all up.

"I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven- the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God so love the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through him."

If that didn't have me thinking enough, Promise shared a Bob Dylan classic earlier. I've heard Dylan, Garth Brooks, Billy Joel and others sing it but again I've never heard it quite like Adam Jones and the band sang "To Make You Feel My Love" tonight. I remember them singing this last year but again, I was hearing with new ears and listening with a whole heart. They said when thinking about Valentine's Day and that as we lift our songs of worship up to God that they wondered what song GOD might sing to us, his children of today. "To Make You Feel My Love" was perfect. Tonight I allowed the Great Physician to heal my heart from some earthly wounds that I've been holding onto for a few years, I have felt His love tonight on an even higher level. Thanks be to God!

When you read the lyrics below I encourage you to feel them as though our heavenly father is saying, yes singing this song for you, gently reminding you what He has done, what He will do, that He gave His life FOR US TO FEEL HIS LOVE...

TO MAKE YOU FEEL MY LOVE

When the rain is blowing in your face
And the whole world is on your case
I could offer you a warm embrace
To make you feel my love

When the evening shadows and the stars appear
And there is no one there to dry your tears
I could hold you for a million years
To make you feel my love

I know you haven't made your mind up yet
But I would never do you wrong
I've known it from the moment that we met
No doubt in my mind where you belong

I'd go hungry, I'd go black and blue
I'd go crawling down the avenue
There's nothing that I wouldn't do
To make you feel my love

The storms are raging on the rollin' sea
And on the highway of regret
The winds of change are blowing wild and free
You ain't seen nothing like me yet

I could make you happy, make your dreams come true
Nothing that I wouldn't do
Go to the ends of the earth for you
To make you feel my love

Time Out Of Mind
-Bob Dylan

*I dedicate this post to my parents...Thank you for your love and Christian foundation and for always believing in me; to my Mother who is with my heavenly Father and to my Daddy- I love you!