Rocks in the Desert

Rocks in the Desert

All men are searching—

Searching for love.

As deep as it sounds, it is true.

Everyone clings to small ounces of hope that they believe to be love. This hope goes against all logic. There could be a 99.9% chance that the love does not exist, but the 0.01% possibility is one that most are willing to risk. In the end people listen to lies and deception because they are hoping that there is some truth in a person. Everyone wants love and they will do anything for it. Men search every nook and cranny for treasure to fill the desire for love. Yet, even if our eyes find nothing, the heart urges us to keep searching. It convinces us that there is something there and motivates us to seek it out. We would do anything for love—pay money, obey orders, or walk off a cliff. In the end, love is the most dangerous weapon on this earth. Wars have started and wars have ended because this idea is one that mankind so desperately seeks.

Thankfully, God is the place I find love. I’ve messed up so many times and He still sees me as a diamond. He cherishes me despite my unworthiness. Love hurts because it really is a one way street. I am going to stop seeking love under rocks in the desert. I need to realize that a boy could never love me unconditionally and, as much as she insists, the sales rep doesn’t care if my skin looks flawless. True love shows up every once in a while, but unconditional love died on a cross. Maybe this is how Jesus was perfect. He is the embodiment of love. If we loved unconditionally, literally where nothing any one does will ever change who they are. Then we really would be perfect. Sure, I would care that he cheated on me, but I would stick by his side. I would care if people hurt me… but if I were like Jesus, I would love and do nothing but forgive.

 I don’t know if I could continue to love those that hurt me all the time. However, I really doubt my ability to love those who hurt others. I don’t think Jesus wants us to either. Jesus sure did not stand by as the people around Him were hurting. On the Mount of Olives, He did not act in defense, until a guard lost an ear. The adulterous women, she sinned, but Jesus was not going to stand by as others hurt her.

“For I the Lord, love Justice…” Isaiah 61:8

Love isn’t necessarily submitting and surrendering to everyone. It is still being smart and making wise decisions. It’s not an action, but it is a reaction. Wrong is in the world. There are orphans and widows, criminals and cheaters, and fake Christians and atheists. Love is our reaction. I will seek love from the Lord. If I get it from other places, awesome. But in the end, it doesn’t matter. If that boy loves me, he will be hard pressed to continue. I will always mess up and he could never love me like Jesus. So many get hurt climbing the side of a cliff to find love. I might have, but when I can look up at the sky, see the stars, and look at a rock in the desert—there I see that God does love me. I can never, will never, be able to understand why He does. But He is freeing me from an endless quest to find love in a loveless world. For that, I am eternally going to be thankful.

Thoughts by Kelsey Davis

16 November 2012