Love Stinks

Love Stinks


"I've had the blues
The reds and the pinks
One thing for sure
Love stinks yeah yeah
(Love stinks)
Love stinks yeah yeah" - J. Geils Band, Love Stinks

Back in my late teens/early 20's me and my buddies you to gather together at our friend Nick's house. This was typically on weekends with his parents out of town. Let me preface this with we were all Christian at this point. So we had a good time, we also had a nice sober time. We would stay up late drinking MT Dew, eating Goldfish and watching "The Wedding Singer" which is easily one of Adam Sandler's best movies. My favorite part was near the beginning. Adam's character was broken heart and having to sing at a wedding reception. Things took a bitter turn and this happened.

I laugh at that part every time. I even watched the youttube clipc multiple times while working on this blog. I felt this was appropriate at Valentine's day. Because, well sometimes love does stink.

Love is tough. Love is messy. Love is hard. No Glen, you say. Love is rainbows, and puppies and candy cane wishes! At Valentine's day people are prone to try grand romantic gestures. Things like
Elaborate proposals.

Spelling things with Roses.

I love you Scavenger hunts.

Even hoisting a boombox in the air.

That's all well and good. However, if that's our only concept of love then we will spend most of life feeling empty and disappointed. Maybe left out that no one every did anything like that for you? Maybe disappointed that your spouse or SO stopped doing those things long ago? Maybe overwhelmed by the thought of not being able to meet those expectations? It's enough to make you want to sing a long with J. Geils himself.

How do we avoid that? With a question.

What is the single greatest act of love committed in the whole of human history? There's only one answer.

That is not a warm and fuzzy image. It is painful to look at and I am certain that if you were there in person it did not smell good. However, this is the purest form of love. Sacrifice. This is the part we tend to skip in our relationships. As one of my former pastors used to tell me. Love is a statement of commitment evidenced by unconditional sacrifice. Here is where we are made whole. Complete. At the cross.

There was a line in Jerry Maquire where he told his girl "You complete me."  Beautiful Sentiment. Real tear jerker of a scene. No way that relationship lasted. You can't look for completion in another person. It's not fair to them or to you.

When we look for completeness in someone else. We won't find it. Another human being was never meant to complete us. Completeness is only found in Jesus. Jesus model the picture of perfect love for us. He did the grandest, of grand romantic gestures. He died for us. Took the penalty for our sins and did so with joy.

Hebrews 12:2 "looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

This year, whether single or celebrating your 50th anniversary. Remember what Christ did for you. Remember how much He loves you and then show that love to others. Especially those that don't deserve it, because they need it most.

Pastor Glen