I like him, but I couldn't resist....

Beautiful, Risky Love

Remember that movie Say Anything? Lloyd Dobler (the nobody) pursues Diane Court (the "most likely to succeed"), but she was not very interested in Lloyd. He continues to pursue her until she falls for him. At first glance, Lloyd did not seem to have much to offer. He gave Diane everything he had and everything he was and when she stopped talking to him he was heartbroken. But as he steadily pursued Diane, she fell for him.

My wife and I recently watched this movie for the first time and it immediately shot to the top of our favorites list. After all, we love a good 80's movie and this is one of the best.

Lately I've been thinking about God and His interaction with us...His "plan" for all of us (Gal. 4:4-7)...and it reminded me a little of Say Anything. Think about it...how much does God pursue you? Yes, we preachers always speak of God's "eternal plan" of salvation, which is very important. Some brave souls may even say that the salvation God offers is personal (Gal. 2:20). But what about on a daily level? Do you even see Him or hear Him? My eyes are focused on the ground but every now and then He takes my breath away.

On the way home from work:

 

Taking out the trash:

I'm not a pantheist, nor do I believe God audibly speaks to me, but I am definitely not a deist. Truly, the heavens declare the glory of God.

But why is it that I'm only struck by this occasionally? Why is it so hard to remember that God is still pursuing me? I don't think I forget...I just don't want to take the risk.

Maybe the risk in our love for God is not that God will cease loving us but that we will find the divine love unfulfilling due to our sin or dysfunctional lives or simply to a lack of understanding as to how God is loving us in our present situation.(John Sanders, The God Who Risks, p. 180).

I think everyone wants the love that God offers, but many don't want to take the risk it requires. Thus, we turn to other sources of comfort and security: food, money, cars, sex, drugs, alcohol, women. Each of these has its proper use, but it should not be in the place of God....they cannot give what God offers, but we'll do whatever we can to get them.

Like Lloyd, God has "put himself out there" for me. Will I put myself out there for Him?

That's my choice every day.