Love,
You intrigue me. 

Love,
You inspire me. 

Love, 
You irk me. 

Love, 
You are beyond me. 

Maybe that is why the greatest of all these is you, Love. 

– Bard Shiny

Love is no one fit glove. It comes in all shapes and sizes – from love for a puppy to a mother’s love, the intensity and depth varies.

Love is experienced by everyone in one form or another. It all begins as a speckle hewn from the loving thoughts of the Supreme One. Love morphs this thought into a human form. As a nacent human some are nurtured in the greater depths of love in a mother’s womb and arm; some tossed around unwanted yet seen by the Unseen one. Some grow with love at home and school and some only get to look at those that do with yearning eyes. Some dream of true love, some find it and most reject the very notion by hard learnt experiences. Nonetheless, Love is worn by all if not everyday but at least once in a life time – in some shape or form.

I, an earnest investigator of love, studied its various hues in my limited capasity and experience. One of the interesting tints is the Love between a man and woman. Call it puppy love, true love or even love marriage/ arranged marriage. Though it falls under this big umbrella called Love (which includes Father’s love, Teacher’s care, Siblirration – sibling-irritation), it carries an important distinction that is claimed by none but a countable few in this category.

Love between a parent and child flows by nature. That is why the Bible says, “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?” Isaiah 49:15a. We know better from news that it is not the case always and so does the Bible. And hence the second part of the verse – “Though she may forget, I (God) will not forget you!”. God uses the example of a mother because it is a love driven by nature. Exceptions exist but thery are abnomalities.

However Love between a man and woman is quite different. It begins as a natural phenomenon with hormones leading the process for multiplication and human perpetuation. But the distinction is here – when a man and woman stay in love – they do so by choice. That is a stark distinction compared to other forms of love. One can hate their parents all they want. But time will reveal that love still flows through by blood or a tear. Not so in the case of a man and woman – When the natural flames of love fades away, it is the intentional choice made by the couple to nurture love and to perpetuate it, that sustains it.

Movies and story lines that draw attention to the first part of this love, fail to even mention the hard work that is to follow and the unimaginable driving power that is the reward of this labour. We have learnt to pen it in a line – Behind every successful man is a woman (And vice-versa, I must add).

I saw this my own eyes between my Pama (Granny) and Thatha (Grandpa). Till the last day my Thatha lived, we all thought they were the most incompatible of couples. You entered their shared room, you can only hear bickering and complaining like some of the noisy News Channels. After Thatha passed away, we hoped pama would finally relax and enjoy her life. But she started to ebb away little by little every day. He body was healthy but her inner heart was not. She missed him. Three months down the line she left us for good to be with him. That is when I realised that though it seemed like a hard work on both their parts, they were only pushing each other forward in life. Together they faced the myriads of storms that mercilessly battered on their four children (a brain fever, a bancrupcy, a widow, a complicated surgery, to name a few). And when one stopped, the other could go no longer. Such powerful was their love – a love by choice.

Maybe that is why God compares the relationship between Church and Him as that of a Bride and Groom.

Maybe that is why He gave humans freewill – He wanted every one of us to mature to the second part of the relationship with Him – A relationship by choice.

A relationship that is not afraid of the storms but says “It is well with my Soul”.

A relationship that is not afraid of the indefinite silence but proclaims, “I shall see my redeemer. He lives!”.

Have you experienced such a love in Christ? It is the kind of love that intrigues me! ❤️

Cheers,
Linda

P.s. I am super excited to share a personal update – I am opening a new art store soon. Here’s a sneak peak into what I am upto 😀
More details to follow… Thank you for your support as always 😊❤️