Love Runs Deep

by Keith Gardner

There is a love that penetrates the surface, but does not penetrate the heart. This love is usually birthed out of duty or familiarity. I can know God through my senses. The Psalmist said; “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the works of his hand.” I can see the evidence of His presence. I can know God through my intellect. Psalms 19:2 continues with “Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.” I can study the evidence of God through the things He has made and I can understand with a deep conviction that He has made them. But these things that point me towards a creator do not point me towards love. I can also know God through my experiences. Throughout the gospels Jesus demonstrated who he was by his many miracles. Many saw him coming on a donkey and screamed in celebration; “Hosanna! “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”. About a week later many were yelling in great anger; “crucify him, crucify him”. They all saw the same Jesus, they all heard the same words, they all experienced the same miracles; but the love of God did not penetrate to the same depth. Why not?

Luke 7:36-50 tell us a story demonstrating this same love depth phenomenon. Jesus is dining at the house of a Pharisee when a sinful woman comes and weeps over the feet of Jesus. She washes Jesus’ feet with her tears and her hair. The Pharisee is incredulous. “Don’t you know what kind of woman she is?” Jesus, in his usual cunning way, demonstrated love’s depth though a story. “Two people owe money, one a little, one a lot; both are release from their debts. Which one is most grateful? Simon, the Pharisee replies; the one released from the greater debt. Jesus forgives the woman’s sins. Simon had just witnessed the love of God in both example and illustration; through his ears and his eyes. The woman witnessed the love of God in her heart. The woman walked away free of sin and guilt. Simon walked away still thinking.

The love of God is only understood through the realization of the depths of our sinfulness before a Holy God. I will not; I cannot understand God’s love until I understand that I am truly sinful. It is not that I missed some ethical mark, or that I made some religious mistake. No, it is that to the core of my being I am dark in sin. My thinking, my ideas, my intentions are all repelling me from God. I like my own ideas. I know where I am going, and I know how I am going to get there. My plans are good to me. It is that very notion of my self-valuation that keeps me from recognizing and experiencing God’s love. It is when I get to that place where my eyes are finally opened, and I realize that; no, I do not know how I can get to anywhere, because I do not know who I am. I begin to understand that my self-confidence is really my arrogance masking my fears. I begin to recognize my sinful state when compared to the Holiness of God. And I finally understand that my Creator made me for a purpose, and my highest and best use is in fulfilling that divine calling; no matter how ignoble that calling is. My understanding has been brought in alignment with the reality of true love. God, in the person of Jesus, gave himself to me; now I give myself back to my maker. Love has now penetrated the heart.