IT IS ABOUT LOVE🥰

It is a chilly evening. this is evident by fires lit at different fields as shepherds tend their flock. it has been a hot day and the journey has been long. Stories fill the air of people who have come from the city in obedience to the command of the new king. A census has to be made of all the people in their respective places of birth. 

Some of the villagers are now a laughing stock since they have no houses to dwell in. What a shame!

As the stories become sweeter and sweeter, the atmosphere is suddenly filled with sweet melody. The brightness is as of day. 

“The King is born”, says a bright creature to the shepherds. This is not a surprise to the shepherds. 'This is the expected time', says one. “Look there is his star.” Says the other pointing to the east where a bright star seems moving further east. 

Pause.

Have you ever thought about how trilling love is at times? Everywhere you go what you will think of is about this special person. When you look at anything around you, you feel you could afford some fr this special person. You know they love this or that thing and you are like, “I think I will buy this for them” just to keep them smiling. 

Your bargains in life are all about seeing them happy. You can't afford a moment with them on a sad face. You can't stand a moment knowing they are struggling with one thing or the other that troubles their heart.

Now think of it what it feels when it is never mutual.

One day, as He looked upon the earth, Christ was saddened. Seeing mothers loose their young children t the fatality of the grave. Sickness was all over. People taking one thing or another that which does not belong to them. Those who were to point them to hope took advantage of their situation to make a fortune for themselves. Crime was a good opportunity to make riches as they could sell sacrificial items to the criminals. What was meant to point to them a hope that is to come, became a routine.

This pained the saviour and He said, “It is enough. I shall go down to man and reinstate love. A love for one another. A love for their enemies. A love for their Creator.'

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” Luke 4:18-19.

This was his opening remarks to a greater ministry. A ministry that was to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers and the fathers to their children. A ministry that was to show love to every kindred. A ministry that was to culminate with Him crucified on the cross. 

As he moved upon the earth, hatred was kindred within the hearts of men. Doctors no longer earn from their patients. It is said some would heal by a touch. Didn't you hear of this servant to the centurion that healed by just a word from Jesus? What about this blind man who was smeared with mad and commanded to go and was his eyes and will be well? Okay, you might miss that but you can not miss to have heard of this burial that came to a stand still when the young girl, daughter to Jairus was brought back to life. You mean even this news of this man whose burial was done four days ago being called out of the grave you heard not? Okay. Yu must have heard of this then. He fed five thousand plus with just five tilapias and two loaves of bread.

Every news paper headline, if there was any, had Christ did this or that. His fame became a threat. There was need to silence this man. Yet they could not find account to hold Him guilt.

After a good long time, there was found a clean plan that will eliminate Him.

One evening after knowing very well it was over with pleading with humanity. Still there was no good seen in Him of all the good He could do. He loves them but His love was received with a rejection. 

“Whom shall I release for you?” came the call from Pilate. 

“Release Barabas the great thief and crucify Jesus.” The congregation shouted. 

Amon the congregation I believe were family members or even the very people He healed, fed or helped in one way or another.

As I thought of this, it struck my mind of how many times we have rejected a true love from Christ. Don't you think it pains Him?

Think of the times you genuinely knew you loved someone. Yet they never trusted that you are anything close to what they could love. They never gave thought of the sacrifices you made for them. You got so attached to them yet they did not recognize it. May be ignorantly hey got themselves move over you. You remained with a pain you trusted time will heal. But still when you peruse through your memory, the scars will still be felt. Some time they may have not knew whether you felt anything about them.

Personally, I could say, if that be the pain that the Saviour goes through each day I put my education, career, fun, or anything in first priority than Him, then it is so painful.

How I wish we learn to love Him back daily. How I pray that we be able to tell Him, “Dear Jesus, You know I love you. Right?” each evening and morning. It is not easy to do so but it will start with you whispering this day a rue confession to Him. 

“Dear Jesus, You know very well I have not loved you as I should. Teach me to love you back genuinely as you have loved me. Teach me to choose you first, last and best. Teach me to love you with my heart. Teach me to think of you always. and teach me to put you first, last and over everything. Amen.'