On our honeymoon, my whole perspective on life shifted. (Dramatic, I know.) On the other side of the mountain of to-do lists that come with a wedding, away from the noise of my inner boss and her constant need to achieve and appease, it was like I could finally think clearly. Alone with only my love who loves me just because he loves me, the only thing there was to do was to love and be loved. The only thing that mattered was connection. And it was beautiful, and it was fulfilling, and it was freeing.
And I wondered — have I missed the point all along? Is that truly, at its core, the reason for our existence? Simply and purely, to love and be loved? Could it be that all of the things we keep telling ourselves we need to do in order for our life to not be wasted are actually keeping us from the purpose for which we were created? Could it be that the enemy of Love uses whatever he can to distract us from the freedom of enjoying this love? In our attempts to be faithful with all we’ve been given, are we actually forgetting the Faithful One’s great & passionate, burning love for us — whose jealous love is waiting to be enjoyed by us — who loves us simply because he loves us?
It was one of the sweetest weeks of my life because it was so beautifully simple. It was easy to love.
I’m pretty sure that the day we got back, I began falling into my old patterns again. It’s easy when there’s nothing else that we can do. But in the midst of the craziness of life, it gets buried in my long lists of to-do’s. So Jesus, I am asking you to reshape my mind — to constantly remind me of the sweet and simple purpose for which you created me. To love and be loved by you.
My Jesus, help me love thee.