As I began to think about a brief message that I will soon be bringing to a group of women on the topic of love, I was reminded how foreign love really is to mankind. That’s the reason why man has been duped by so many counterfeits from the beginning of time.
In a world full of counterfeits, driven by our own sinful desires, we end up in ruin. Just look around. Children grow up homeless, fatherless and exploited all because the world has not known love. And still we are warned that as lawlessness increases things will get worse, as “most peoples love will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12).
I have to say that I make a really good Hollandaise sauce and because it is so good, rarely is there a restaurant that can equal it. Because I have tasted the real thing, I won’t settle for anything less. However, when you haven’t tasted love you don’t know how much a counterfeit is lacking and that is why many people are content with imitations.
In Jeremiah’s day he dealt with the same issue of counterfeits. Israel was a select and royal people, but as strangers to God’s love they ended up a filthy mess.
“Isn’t Israel a valued servant born into a family with place and position? So how did she end up a piece of meat fought over by snarling and roaring lions? There’s nothing left of her, but a few bones, her towns trashed and deserted.” Jeremiah 2:14-15 MSG
Isn’t it mind boggling to consider that still today mankind is like savage dogs? It can’t be denied. Statistics tell us that the second highest grossing industry in the world today, just below drugs, is human sex trafficking?
Once you let out a sigh, clinch your fist and catch your breath, remember Paul prayed that the eyes of our heart would be enlightened, that Christ might dwell in our hearts through faith, so that we being rooted and grounded in love, would be able to comprehend the breadth, length, height and depth of the love of Christ. (Ephesians 1:18, 3:17-18) Apart from Christ we don’t know how to love.
When you’ve tasted the pure undefiled love of Christ you don’t want any imitation posing as real love. The only remedy for a love-lost world is the true love of God.
1 John 4:7 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.”
