As a plight of our humanity, I think that most of us have undergone some degree of rejection in our lives, as having cried out at times for unconditional love and acceptance. Unfortunately, love is something that we don’t always get and often have to earn from others and is so fragile that it can be easily lost by some of the most intimate of relationships as with our parents, spouses, children, families, friends, co-workers and associates, and even religious affiliations. It’s sad to say, but so true, as these failed relationships often cause us to yearn for a real sense of belonging and acceptance in having a security that goes beyond the limitations of others.
This even applies when seeking the transcendence of a religious experience by which most religions fail as being unable to offer such comfort with their conditional merit or by their philosophical perspective, as with the illusion of Hinduism and the detachment of Buddhism, in failing to fulfill this real-felt human need as to experience a genuine and lasting love.
Consequently, Jesus in His humanity, also experienced pain and separation as being rejected by His countrymen John 1:10-11, hometown folk Luke 4:24, family Mark 3:21, John 7:5, disciples John 6:66,70-71, Matthew 26:31, and finally, on our behalf, felt a form of rejection from the Heavenly Father in His death on the cross, Matthew 27:46, so that we might have reconciliation, 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, as receiving the seal of God’s approval and ownership through the promised Comforter, Holy Spirit, Ephesians 1:13-14, who indwells the believer making us heirs of God, Romans 8:15-17, adopting us as His children, Ephesians 1:5, Romans 8:14-17, by which we can never be snatched away nor forsaken, Matthew 28:20, Hebrews 13:5-6, John 10:27-30. Finally, it is the nurturing of Jesus’ love as interceding as our High Priest in knowing what it is to suffer, Hebrews 2:17-18, 4:15-16, 7:25.
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Lastly, God is so adamant and proactive in sharing His love, that He doesn’t even wait on us, as He lovingly and patiently draws us unto Himself, pursuing us when we are far off, even when treating Him like an enemy, as in blasphemy and persecution, Acts 9:13-15, Romans 5:6-10, 1 Timothy 1:13-16. Moreover, He willing receives us back as the Prodigal Son and seeks us out as the Lost Sheep, Luke 15. Making it even more difficult to exclude Him, as this love is far beyond our self, as incapable of being fully reciprocated.
What kind of love is this, that is so foreign to our experience, yet so right and inviting to our hearts? It’s clearly a love that we can’t fully grasp or understand but one that can be freely received and experienced. My friend, you can try searching elsewhere for it, but you won’t find it, just a whole lot of “I love you’s” out there as only temporarily satisfying. Finally, there is no greater love than this, or anything to compare in finding rest for a restless heart, Matthew 11:28-30, as never doubting His love for you.
In conclusion, you may try to escape the pains in life, as with religion, controlled substances, sexual promiscuity, work, and other things, etc., yet you will never know what true love is until you surrender yourself to the Lover of your soul and yet it’s a wonder why anyone would still want to reject the One who would have never rejected them. Go figure!
Romans 8: 31-39
31 What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who didn’t spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely give us all things? 33 Who could bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, yes rather, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Could oppression, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Even as it is written, “For your sake we are killed all day long. We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37 No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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