https://odb.org/MY/2022/04/20/love-is-worth-the-risk
Most of us would have known someone who had loved before and because of bad experiences in the past, chose a single’s life. Even if we have not seen a real life example ourselves, there are abundant portrayals in movies and TV dramas. Not necessarily a lonely life as one could fill up our time with our own pursuits and being single means we can, in most instances, do as we think fit. No need to align or prioritise interests with our loved one or as some say, our better half. We just pursue what interests us – like photography, fishing, badminton, running, gym etc.
I think people who decided not to open up for love again do so because they don’t want to get hurt again. They don’t want to be vulnerable, don’t want to risk getting rejected, hurt, betrayed or abandoned. But then life is like that – no pain, no gain. Or put it another way – no venture, no gain. You don’t move out of your comfort zone, you remain there and sometimes, that zone is when we were only 16, years and years ago when the first girl we fancied rejected our invitation for tea. Of course, I’m exaggerating. It could well be closer to present times but you get the picture. Our comfort zones are usually frozen in time, a time in the past – certainly not the future and unlikely the present. We have not moved on since then. We are still stuck in our past bad experience.
The message today however I believe goes deeper than that although we should come out of our comfort zone, open up to love and be vulnerable. And it should apply to all areas of our life, whether our faith, our ministry or our jobs. Maybe it’s time to move on and try something new. The world is your oyster, they say.
The message today is deeper as it concerns our love for Jesus. Do we love Jesus? Even if Jesus were to ask us 3 times, will we answer Him yes? Have our past experiences with human love caused us to be unconsciously rejecting Jesus? Are we declining to go into a deeper relationship with Him? Has our past experience with church itself cause us to refuse being more involved now? Because we were deeply disappointed in the past? Because we were disillusioned as we gave our all before and had to pick up the pieces of our faith? Love and vulnerability goes hand in hand. If we can’t be vulnerable, if we close our hearts up, we will never be able to truly love Jesus. All we will probably ever do is just skim the surface. There is much more to our life in God, I believe so – just that we need to open up and allow God to take control and take over. Put our trust fully on God and He will work all things together for good. Note that Romans 8:28 only applies to all who love Him. Read it and you will see.
Ronnie's Thoughts 