Prodigal: I love this cornbread!
Me: Is it really love?
Prodigal: YES, it is real love!
This is from the book Bold Love by Dr. Dan B. Allender & Dr. Tremper Longman III
Love is dependent on forgiveness. A formula can almost be structured from this concept. The extent to which someone truly loves will be positively correlated to the degree the person is stunned and silenced by the wonder that his huge debt has been canceled. Perhaps another way to say it is that gratitude for forgiveness is the foundation for other-centered love.
A hint may now be offered as to why grace is so demanding in its free offer–all that’s required in response is stunned silence and overwhelmed gratitude. A stunned and grateful heart is free to love because it has been captured with the hilarious paradox that we are unlovely but loved, and unable to love but free to try without condemnation. And all efforts to love are made lovely and useful by a great Lover who superintends all our bumbling efforts and turns the dross of mixed motives to the gold of eternal intentions.
It all starts at the cross. We hear that over and over again. When we want to be a better spouse, friend, relative, co-worker. We try and we fail. We beat our selves up for it. When what we really need is to begin at the cross instead of ourselves.
And walk in love, as Christ also loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor.
Ephesians 5:2
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
