Love and His Evil Twin

I despise unmarked roads. This morning I drove to Woodburn in order to appear in traffic court for a speeding ticket. I had some directions, but then I came to an unmarked intersection. I had a feeling I was supposed to turn onto the unidentified street, so I did. But I wasn't sure I was going the right direction, until I was already miles down the road.
In this thing called life, there are many unmarked roads. Sometimes I don't know if I'm on Love Rd. or not. The Bible gives us some general directions, but I'm terrible with directions and get lost very easily. I need clearly marked signs. We seem to have an internal GPS system which helps, but sometimes I feel like I'm in the middle of nowhere.

I must admit, sometimes it seems cruel that God designed men with such a fast and furious sex drive and then told us to obey the rules of the road. For men, sex is like blood to a shark. Try convincing a shark to become a vegetarian for a season as bloody slabs of meat float by. I'm not making excuses, but it's not easy being a guy. Sometimes I hate being 'a guy.' And it would certainly help if society didn't flash us with sex symbols all day long. But the media gives people what they want and people want sex.
Speaking of sex, the phrase 'making love' doesn't even make sense. As if sex is going to make two people love each other more than they did before. If anything it should be called 'making up for love.' The phrase 'making love' reveals society's delusional version of love. Most romance films capitalize on this idea. On the silverscreen, if a delightful date doesn't end up in the bedroom, then we're surprised. Hollywood keeps putting out the same movie and it's called 'Love: Kinda, Sort Of, But Not Really.' Afterall, the best lies are the ones that are peppered with truth. But don't be fooled, it's love's evil twin-- lust. Lust cares nothing for the other person. It's only prerequisite is that the other person is slightly beautiful and breathing, and even the beautiful part is negotiable. For lust, romance is just a means to an end. Lust doesn't make love, it takes love. And it takes and it takes. But love gives. When love wants to take more than it wants to give, then it becomes lust. Lust is not always sexual. Sometimes we lust after people's time or attention or assistance, without any desire to give back.
With this in mind, it is important that we emphasize the generous nature of God. Sometimes, sermons concentrate too much on what God wants us to do for Him. We could easily begin to mistake His love for lust. But, the truth is, we can never outgive Him. He gives more than He takes. He is not a God of lust but a God of love.

What if we're here not to discover the meaning of life, but simply to identify what real love feels like? Different relationships and experiences seem to peel back the layers as time rolls on.
I realize that I will never fully understand God's love, but I am experiencing more of His love as I endeavor to understand it. For me, to love something is to continue to explore it. And as I explore it, I find new reasons to love it. Then, I want to explore it more and more, and on and on it goes. And so it is with God's love. I love His love, so my curiosity drives me onward. It's worth exploring. I may feel like it's taking me in a circle, but I think I am actually spiralling toward the heart of it. I appreciate people more as I get to know them. I've discovered that there is more to everyone than what's on the surface. People fascinate me. Everyone has wisdom to offer and I am learning to listen. Likewise, I appreciate God the more I know Him. He never ceases to surprise me. He invites us to taste of Him, knowing full well that we will bite off more than we can chew.
Most people don't like change. I do. Change inspires me. I know that God's love doesn't change, but my perception of His love is changing all the time. Growing and expanding. Growth is a sign of life. Some people fear that they've fallen out of love when the honeymoon feeling fades. But it's not fading as much as it's changing. Love that is alive undergoes metamorphosis. It adapts in order to go farther and higher and deeper. It's like happiness maturing into joy.