Millions of love stories which start out so beautifully end up in broken hearts, separation and divorce – even in hatred. Yet among all the love stories which are events in real life or in the imagination of writers there is one true love story that has a happy ending. It is the love story between Christ and His church. It is the most touching and the most beautiful story ever seen or heard. What makes it even more special is that it is OUR LOVE STORY. This story starts beautifully, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” ”So God created man in His own image” and it continues, “everything He made, and behold it was very good.” Everything was beautiful and lovely. The earth was covered with flowers, trees, and clear rivers. The first human pair were happy and often the Lord came to visit them.

Then something happed and broke this happiness. They found another lover Satan. It was a thrilling and exciting experience to them. Something that God had kept away from them, their new lover gave them freely of the forbidden fruit. They felt and imagined themselves entering upon a higher state of existence and into a new freedom. Solomon writes “‘The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul” Prov. 13:19.

Now man was drawn into a struggle between two lovers. Christ still loved them offering to help them and to save them from their friendship with Satan. But at the same time. Satan offered them all that fallen human nature could desire. He offered to gratify their now perverted appetite, all the desires of their flesh, the lusts of the eyes and ears. This all seemed so fascinating and exciting that they decided to join with Satan and to break the relationship with God.

In vain Christ offered His 6lessings and His salvation; no one was interested at one time except the family of Noah. “I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hands and no man regarded;” Prov. 1:24. “…Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return to me, said the Lord.” Jer. 3:1. But how did His people regard these tender invitations and calls of the Lord. ” .. . She went after her lovers, and forgot me, saith the Lord. “Hosea 2:13.

But the Lord did not give up easily. His heart still filled with love towards His unfaithful wife, He sent love letters and tender calls to her. “Turn, o backsliding children saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: ..” Jer. 3:14. ‘Therefore legally we 6elong together. As the years went by and the centuries passed constantly Christ sent to them messages, presents, and tokens of His love. But his people did not respond to His appeals. They went and “wasted His substance with riotous living.” Luke 15:13.

As a climax of His love Christ offered His own life as a gift to His wife. “Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; Eph. 5:25. When giving the supreme sacrifice, by carrying His cross to Calvary, where was the object of His love? There was none by Him at that moment, no one expressed their gratitude for His gift. Alone He carried the cross and gave His life to save the one whom He loved so much.

When someone shall ask Him. “What are these wounds in Thine hands? Then He shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. “Zech.13: 6. It was His friends, His own people who wounded Him. It was His own church which hated Him.

Now 6000 years have passed and Christ is still stretching out His arms toward His people. He is knocking at the hearts doors begging for entrance. Many have started out to follow Christ eagerly but sadly we find that it often lasts only a while. The first love grow cold and dies. What killed the first love? “Because iniquity shall a6ound the love of many shall wax cold.” Matt. 24:12.

Again it is sin that kills love towards God. Just like in the Garden of Eden. The other lover, Satan, is drawing multitudes to himself. As Jesus wept over Jerusalem 2000years ago, He is weeping over His professed followers today. Why do they love the world? What more can I give them to prove my love?

Satan is laughing at the pain and sorrow of Jesus, as professed Christians bow to Him in obedience and tum their backs to Jesus, leaving Him alone with out-stretched arms.

So far this has been a sad love story between Christ and His church -so one-sided. On the other side, it has included so much unfaithfulness, so much pretension, and hypocrisy. There was so little loyalty, love and sacrifice.  ‘Yet this is OUR LOVE STORY!

When Christ comes to you personally and asks, “Lovest thou me more than these?” What is your answer? It depends on you to put a happy ending on this love story. Will you answer “Yes, Lord, I love thee?” Will you also prove your love by faithful service to Him, who valued you more than all the treasures of the world?

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.

Timo Martin.