In the 1978 romantic film ‘Grease’, Sandy (a young prim and proper teenager in the throes of first love) sings of ‘bad boy’ Danny, ‘I’m hopelessly devoted to you.’ The film charts the ups and downs of young love, capturing something of the awkwardness and passion of love and ends, in true Hollywood style, with the couple driving off to their ‘happily ever after.’
God’s love for us is far more devoted than the most devoted human love and He is looking for an equally passionate response from us. Francis Chan, in his book ‘Crazy Love’, says ‘it’s probably the most insane statement that you could make to say that the eternal Creator of this universe is in love with me. There is a response that ought to take place in believers, a crazy reaction to that love. Do you really understand what God has done for you? If so, why is your response so lukewarm?’
God’s love for us is fervent, passionate, unrelenting and unfailing. As we meditate on that love, it evokes within us an equally fervent, passionate, unrelenting and unfailing love in us: ‘we love, because He first loved us.’ (1 Jn 4:19) David spoke of this love: ‘I loveYou more than I can say… I’m madly in love with You.’ (Ps 69:9, The Message)
Phil Wickham’s song ‘Wide Awake’ captures something of this love:
‘Through the veil, we have come
You’ve paid the price, a sacrifice, of flesh and blood.
Hearts ablaze, drawing close
The holy place now invades the human soul.’
As we meditate on the fact that we can approach a holy God through the sacrifice of His beloved Son and now the presence of God can live within us, our hearts are ablaze.
‘Hope is here, love has won
With burning hearts, into Your arms
Oh God, we run
All my life and all my days
Holding nothing back, giving all I am
For Your great name.’
God’s love sets a burning love within our heart (the word ‘zeal’ could be translated as ‘burning love’, ‘crazy love’, to quote Francis Chan) and we long to run to God and to hold nothing back from Him, just as a lover longs to give himself or herself utterly to the beloved.
‘Wide awake, unashamed, in Your light
By Your grace, boldly running to Your side
Captivated, oh I am taken by everything You are
I want to be closer and closer and closer to Your heart
I want to be closer and closer and closer to Your heart.‘
One of the most precious things about God’s love is how it banishes shame, casts our unworthiness to one side as we clothe ourselves in Christ’s righteousness. We are captivated by God, held to Him as iron filings cling to a magnet, drawn by His love.
The Psalms frequently talk of this desire to be close to God (see Ps 91:1-2, Ps 73:28, Ps 42:1-2, Ps 63:1-2), describing the ache and longing of love and the satisfaction found only in the presence of God (see also Song of Songs 5:8). May we all be drawn closer and closer to God’s heart, allowing His heart of love to fill us, allowing His presence to invade our souls and lead us to the place of satisfaction in Him, for truly, nothing else can satisfy. Francis Chan says ‘God is calling you to a passionate love relationship with Himself, because the answer to religious complacency isn’t working harder at a list of dos and don’ts; it’s falling in love with God.’ Only God can satisfy.