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Choice

             I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. (Psalm 116:1-2)

There are basically two catalysts to our love. The first is choice, the second is response. In a perfect world, once the first choice is made, it’s an unending cycle of responses. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world. Once-upon-a-time, one of the favorite sorts of stories was the knightly un-requited love story, in which the knight chose, and chose, and chose to love even though the lady never responded.

The story in today’s passage begins with a choice. The Lord created man. His love was not only unrequited, it was rejected. Then, the Lord chose to love, and man responded until response was inconvenient, then rejected the Lord’s love again. In today’s passage, the man cried out for help, and the Lord chose to love again. And the man responded with love, and promises to respond with love forever. This is what John explained in I John 4:19. It’s also the story of the Prodigal Son, who was loved by his father, who ran to him when he dared return. The same father sought out the older son and loved him.

Choosing to love apart from responding to love is difficult, especially over longer periods, but this should be our goal. It is a way we can become like God.  

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