THIS THING CALLED LOVE | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: THIS THING CALLED LOVE | Previous Challenge Entry
By Mariane Holbrook
05/02/07
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When John and I became engaged, I behaved like the average 20-year-old
college student in love. I spoke of no one else, I dreamed of no one else, I preferred
to be with no one else. Our love was wonderfully exclusionary.

I cornered anyone who would listen to my endless recitations of John’s abilities and his sterling
character. In my mind I compared him to every other man on campus and found all the others
remarkably lacking.

Tucked away in a lovely white box with a blue satin ribbon, I kept every love note or missive
that John had ever written to me, memorizing ever endearing phrase, pressing the notepaper
lightly to my lips, taking pleasure with the knowledge that his strong but sensitive hands had
held this same paper only hours before.

Anticipating that great day five months hence when I would become John’s bride, I leafed
endlessly through bridal magazines, desperately wanting to please him on our wedding day,
anticipating the loving expression he would wear when I walked down the aisle toward him.

I printed his name and mine inside a thousand cupid hearts in my spiral notebooks.
Pictures of John decorated the entire wall next to my single bed. My record player droned
all the love songs of the 1950s until my longsuffering roommates sought solace in the empty
classrooms on the first floor of the dormitory where they could study without musical
accompaniment.

I was in love.

Then something happened that radically altered my perspective. One morning in chapel, a
visiting speaker quoted something so profound that I quickly wrote it in the back of my
Schofield Bible where it remains to this day:

“Most Christians do not have fellowship WITH God;
they have fellowship with other Christians ABOUT God.”

I bowed my head and wept at the stark realization that I had neglected my Savior and Lord,
Jesus Christ. Completely consumed by my earthly lover, I had ignored the Lover of mySoul.

I had delighted in telling friends that “There came a man who was sent from God; his name was
John.” (John 1:6 NIV) I was the happy recipient of that gift, I’d laugh. I believed then, as I believe
now, that God chose my husband for me. My priorities back then, however, were terribly out of balance.

My dear friends, how many times a day do you and I tell our family or friends about the Lover of our
Souls, about His virtues, His holiness, His power to transform us from abject sinners into men and women
who reflect the character and nature of Jesus Himself?

How many hours do we as born again believers spend alone with Him, telling Him of our love and
devotion to Him, jealously guarding that time together because we feel we cannot face the vagaries of
life without it or without Him?

How many times have we written His holy name in loving script on the tender and fluttering pages
of our hearts, thrilled at just the sight of His name: Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, the most beautiful name on earth.

Until very recently, the preponderance of today’s hymn books were ABOUT God rather than
songs of worship TO God. He, I’m sure, enjoys corporate worship about his attributes but even more
must He thrill to one of His children sequestered in a closet, focused only on Him, singing the love
songs of the Psalms to Him.

How many times do we clutch His Word to our hearts, thrilled at “the wonder of it all.” Such love letters
are beyond our comprehension. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still
sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 NIV) All we can do is tell Him, “Thank You for loving me and
permitting me to love You in return. With my whole heart, I adore You. I worship You.”

How much time are we setting aside to be clothed in His righteousness, the bridal gowns
that we’ll wear at the great Marriage Supper of the Lamb? How much preparation is being made in
our hearts for this most magnificent of weddings ever known to mankind?

My friends, I don’t want to be ashamed at His coming, wishing I’d spent more time alone
with Him, comfortable in His presence.

Dear Heavenly Father, renew my love for your Son, Jesus Christ, and make me a bride fit for my
bridegroom, for it’s in His holy name I pray. Amen.

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