The Greatest Love

John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends."

Years ago I was sitting in an AA meeting, which I used to attend regularly, and I was crying.  I was in the pain of a recent breakup - another one - and lamenting that I just did not know what love is.  I quoted the scripture where Christ Jesus states that "perfect love casts out fear".  I said that I had no clue what that meant, and I truly did not.  During, and following, the meeting there were members of the group offer me words of wisdom, and consolations.  That was the day I determined to find out what love is.

I had been raised in a Christian home, and practiced as a Christian for many years.  I even had real encounters with the Lord God.  I knew the Bible really well, and even still read it regularly.  Yet, at that time I was living in rebellion to God.  There was nothing holy about my existence.  Still, I knew that Christ Jesus was the only true example and manifestation of love that had ever walked the planet.  I determined, that day, to follow Christ Jesus as my path to learn to come to know love.

Following that day, also, I grew very far apart from my Christian roots - and heavily into the Occult.  The scriptures say that the sin of rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft.  This is truth.  We can see, in many churches today, Occult behaviors and practices - and blindness against such by those deceived.  My rebellion was that of being unable to accept, and bring myself in accord with, the difficult words of God.  I was in rebellion against the idea of eternal hell for those who reject the gift of Christ Jesus.  It even got to the point where I did not believe in hell as a consequence for humans who are in rebellion to God.  I dismissed, and cherry picked from, the scriptures of the Holy Bible.  I challenged its authenticity, and argued against God's Words.  I designed my own belief system, and found a 'Christian' church which would support it - Universalism.

There is a sad scriptural account of the time when many of Jesus' Disciples left Him, and fell away, because they found Jesus' Words too difficult to accept.  John 6:60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?” 61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. 65 And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” 66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” 68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” 71 He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve."

As I grew farther away from the Heavenly Father, I still followed Jesus in my expression and understanding of love as demonstrated by Christ Jesus.  He was my focus.  Love became my primary aim.  I went through years of struggles, disappointments in relationships, and a continual practice of working to align myself with the Christ, in love.  I never had much consideration for holiness.  No understanding, really, of holiness.  Love became all, for me.  And, I was so imperfect in the practice.  Yet, opportunities for this practice increased and abounded, as they will for the one sincere in their intent, whatever it may be.  Then, in the painful wake of another relationship going bad, I had a dream.

In this dream I was at a park, I believe, with the love interest of the time  We decided to go on a drive to take care of a matter.  As we were driving there appeared in the sky cloud 'mandalas'.  These clouds were encircling the entire horizon - the earth.  From each opening in the cloud mandalas came a pulsating, brilliant, light.  This light pulsated form the sky to the earth, non stop, as water from a falls.  It was intense.  The guy I was with drove the car directly into the light.  I couldn't' believe what he was doing.

Instantly, upon driving into the light, we were seated in a massive area lined with rows of metal folding chairs.  These chairs were full of humanity seated in the rows of chairs.  I looked behind me and there were people seated as far as the eye could see.  All those seated had entered through the pulsating light.  At the front stood a fit and slender man.  His eyes were blue as the shirt he was wearing, and his look was neither warm, nor cool.  He seemed unaffected emotionally - very even tempered and objective.  His blue shirt was neatly tucked into khaki slacks.  The man's hair was long and blonde and pulled back into a neat pony tail.  He was asking the people in the crowd, individually, a single question.  Depending on their answer, individuals either stayed in their seat, or were zapped away in an instant, by a light, up from the room.  I had no idea where they were zapped away to.

Immediately I was disturbed.  I knew this man up in the front of the room was judging the people based upon their answers.  Instantly I became upset.  Out of concern I put my arm around the guy I was with.  I knew how irreverent and mouthy he could become when he was indignant over something.  He had no belief in, or reverence for, God.  I was worried about what he would do when it came his time to be questioned.  I turned, again, to observe the crowd behind me.  I knew that in the crowd of humanity represented was a Hitler, and a Charles Manson, and all other manner of evil men who had passed to this side through the pulsating lights.  And, I knew of the darkness and ignorance of their Souls that led to the manifestation of their lives.  I knew how very lost each and every one was.  I knew, too, that I chose love for every one, and I would send NO ONE into hell.  I was angry with the judge.  I was afraid of the Judge.

At that moment an old man a few chairs down from us, and to our left, was just answering the Judge's question.  Our turn to be questioned was approaching quickly.  He was a gentle and unafraid old man.  He looked at peace and undisturbed.  He was pleasant in demeanor.  As the old man was finishing up his answer to the Judge's question he looked at me, smiled, and said with a type of assurance, "Ya know, sometimes life just reaches up and punches you right in the nose.  That's OK.  Everything is just opportunity".  And that concluded his answer to the Judge.  The Judge responded to the Old Man, and I heard a gentleness in his voice.  I was a bit surprised, and no longer afraid of the Judge - to look at him.  I looked up and the Judge was looking at me with nearly a hint of a smile.  Instantly I knew what my answer was - no matter what question the Judge asked me.  I knew that my answer was love.  I was going to ask that the Judge to give me the penalty for all those who had been 'zapped', or would be zapped.  Although I did not know what that would mean for me, personally - an eternity of hell, or redemption following the cost - I knew I was willing to be zapped so that every other one of humanity would not have to face the consequences of the ignorance and darkness of their tragic lives.  Upon my love for all of humanity I was going to offer my life and suffer their consequence, as well as mine, even though I was completely blind as to what that meant for me, personally.  I knew that was what love required of me.

That was when I awoke from the dream.  In that moment I understood the heart of Jesus - His love for mankind that prompted His sacrifice for the redemption of mankind - the forgiveness of their sins so they may be restored to relationship with the Creator of all Heaven and Earth.  This is the Gospel of "Peace on Earth, goodwill toward man", sang by the Angels in celebration of Jesus' birth.  Jesus paid the eternal penalty of our ignorance and darkness (sin), because He loves us.  Because the Father God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son to pay our consequence for darkness, ignorance, and sin.  Even still, the majority of mankind chooses, and loves, their darkness over the gift of life in Christ Jesus.  That leaves the sad condition that there is no more sacrifice left for sin for those who reject the sacrifice made for every lost Soul through the King of Kings, the Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.  For those who reject the provision in Christ Jesus for eternity in the Kingdom of God - in eternal fellowship with God - all that is left is the eternal horror of hell.

This blog was prompted by the scripture I read yesterday morning - a scripture that has stayed with me through until today.  I relate to its sentiment, and rejoice when I find words that resonate so personally with me in the Holy Bible.  Romans 9:1 "I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; 5 of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen."

I just say, in response to the sentiment of this scripture, "me too".  I would that all would come to Christ Jesus and be saved from the consequences of sin and death.  The sacrifice has been made, for the sake of love.  There is no more sacrifice left to be made.  If we repent, and ask Jesus to forgive us our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin.  He is not willing that anyone should perish.  Neither am I.  Are we willing not to perish in our sin?  Christ Jesus is the ONLY Way to right relationship to the God of our Creation.

Jesus left us with the story of the Prodigal's Son, revealing the Father's Heart toward us:
Luke 15:11 Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. 13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. 15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. 17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’20 “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; 24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry. 25 “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’ 28 “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. 30 But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ 31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 32 It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ”

"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do..."
Luke:23:34(a)