Love Without Fear

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. the one who fears is not made perfect in love." - 1 John 4:18.

Okay, so there's the verse that inspired the thoughts and here's the set-up as described to my little sister, Jenelle, and her good friend Nikki. We are now in a citadel and it is of the most elegant design that you can think of, I've leave it to your imagination to fill that one in and while you're at it fill in the subjects of the citadel as well. But there is a great harp band and perhaps some flutes and even a little piccolo if you would want to throw it in. All that to say that I've been reading a lot of the Lord of the Rings and I can't stop thinking in the following language and I fear that if I don't make a slight joke of the post that I would of die of suppressed ridiculousness.

Love without fear. What fear often holds us back in love? The fear of pain, betrayal, or simply of exposure? To love without fear is to have an identity in pure eternity, to leave shame behind in a quest into glory and worship, to forfeit what is "ours" in this world and to lose focus on the ever growing self-obsession. Safety, Security, and Settling are no longer words of happiness or a means to the end, but instead they are sweet words of the enemy. For it is my understanding that in this world we are driven to love one another out of fear and thus brokenness arises. We deem that in that love our fears of worthless invisibility are gone and importance is obtained. We pick up a title to falsely ornament our hearts with purpose and suddenly our identity is wrapped up, like a prisoner, with the fear of love. Or perhaps the fear of lovelessness. We place the highest importance in the cracked conduit and look not high enough to see the source.

Love may not be what it seems and often I've found my version of love to be shamed and fruitless. It becomes a combination of lust and longing; a heart in a barren land willing to attach to the first voice that is heard. But now I see that love is a heart in a flourishing garden and the companionship is simply to provide another set of eyes to discover the awe and grandeur of the land it resides within. Then, we may describe and demonstrate the land of love all the clearer as the length of our stay continues on and on.

I think it may be time for a move...