Love Story

This isn't her love story. This is your love story, though you may not know it.

Once upon a time, the Creator realized that He was lonely. He recognized that He needed companionship, and relished the idea of creating a people with whom He could share His deepest thoughts, His most intimate ideas. So excited about the possibility, and already bursting with inexpressible love towards the people He wished to create, He set to work. He took His time, focusing on every detail to create a people whom He could call friend. So interested was He in the people He would create that He paid them the highest complement, forming them in His very own image.

When He was satisfied with the finished product, He thought to himself, "this is good", and He breathed life into them, calling them man, and woman.

The Creator was excited about the idea of companions. He was so excited to spend time with them, and to allow them to enjoy His presence. He loved them more than either man or woman would ever understand. It was this great love that caused the Creator to make a decision. His decision was a significant one, one that would alter history.

He decided to give his people the gift of choice.

Though the Creator desired so desperately to have relationship with the man and the woman, He wanted them to want to spend time with Him as much as he desired to spend time with them. The Creator is a gentleman. He would not force himself on anyone who was unwilling, instead desiring to woo His creation, yet allowing them to walk away from the friendship He offered if they desired. So He created a physical representation of this choice, and called it the tree of good and evil. He told man and woman that they should not eat of the tree, but yet left it available to them if they so desired. He didn't want them to partake of this fruit, knowing what the results of this was.

The thing about the Creator is that He is perfect. Completely without blemish. The man and the woman were as well, when He initially created them. The Creator liked it this way, and so did the man and the woman. The three of them spent many long days together, enjoying friendship. This was the very reason that the Creator had formed them, and therefore the man and woman were complete, living lives of bliss.

But He had given them a choice. He had told them not to eat of the fruit on the tree of good and evil, yet did not force them to obey this rule, instead allowing them freedom to disobey if they wanted. The Creator knew it was a possibility, and dreaded the thought of His precious people disobeying Him, but He still could not allow Himself to force their obedience or love.

So He waited, hoping beyond hope they would not make the choice He dreaded.

The Creator, even though He was perfect, even though He could determine anything, and create anything, even though He could control whatever He wished- regardless of all His power, still gave his creation a choice. And one day, that which He dreaded so much came to pass. The man and the woman made their choice, and ate the fruit.

Everything changed. The fruit really had nothing to do with it. It was the act of disobedience that was what changed the man and the woman. Suddenly, they were not the perfect creations they had once been, blemished by their disobedience. The Creator was in agony. The very reason he had created His people, for relationship, was now being ripped away from Him.

The Creator is perfect. His people were not. Like light and darkness, the two could not exist together, causing them to be thrown away from the Creator's presence. The man and the woman realized what they had done, but could not undo their disobedience, and instead were forced to live life separated from the perfect love and relationship that the Creator so desired to give them.

Horrified at the possibility of going on without the ability to have a relationship with the people He so desperately loved, the Creator made a way. Man and woman could not have relationship with the Creator because they were not perfect, so the Creator had to give them a way to become perfect. A series of rules was developed, ways for the man and the woman to pay the price for their disobediences and be again washed clean and perfect. Disobedience was a serious thing, and the proper payment to right the wrong was the life of the man or the woman. Yet, since the Creator could not bear the thought of his precious people shedding their own blood, He allowed them to shed the blood of animals as a sacrifice to pay for the things they had done wrong. When the man and woman gave these sacrifices with a repentant heart, they were again made clean, and restored to relationship with the Creator.

But there was a flaw. It seemed that since the man and the woman had begun their habit of disobeying, they could not stop themselves. Though they would be made perfect by offering sacrifices as a payment for their wrongdoings, they continued to disobey in different ways, and were then made imperfect over and over again, requiring them to make sacrifices over and over again if they were to retain a relationship with the Creator.

Heartbroken by this faulty plan, the Creator knew He needed another option, yet the possibility scared Him. Though He had been accepting the blood of animals, He knew that if man and woman would offer their own blood, the blood would be strong enough to cover all of the times they messed up and disobeyed, allowing them to enjoy relationship with the Creator.

But the Creator did not like this option. He did not want His people to have to die. He wanted desperately to have another option, because He wanted to be able to have a relationship with each and every one of the people He created.

Torn away from the people that He loved with unending love, the Creator wanted desperately to heal the broken relationship. He'd already tried another way to help cover their disobediences, though the plan was faulty. There was only one other way. Someone could pay the price for the obedience of every person He had created- and would ever create- but this person would have to be without blemish, completely perfect. The Creator knew of only one who met these qualifications, and that was His own, cherished son. Agonized by the knowledge that His very own son would have to die as the perfect sacrifice to pay for the sins of every person, the Creator still allowed His son to die. His unfathomable love for the people he had created was so strong that he was willing to allow His own precious son to die in their place.

And so the Son died. His death was cruel, and violent. As he offered himself willingly, and the Creator allowed every sin of the world to rest upon Him, and then be paid for by His very life. It broke the Creator's heart, yet also filled Him with joy. Finally there was a plan that would work. There was a way to reestablish the intimate relationship He wanted with His people.

This plan was so much better. Because the Creator's son had died willingly, all that the man and the woman would need to do was acknowledge that His son had offered His life as a payment for their own sins, and genuinely repent for the many times they had disobeyed, and for the times they would disobey in the future. After this simple choice, the Creator would allow the man and woman to become clean, just like they were perfect, and could again extend His friendship towards them.

The Creator was finally at peace. He had made a way to have relationship with His people, and was so excited to get to know every single one. He had plans for each of them. He dreamed about them all, and had such tender feelings towards every one of them. So excited was He, about the romance He could have with his precious people. Anticipating wooing every one.

It is a perfect love story, complete with the persistent lover and the unwilling bride. Yet, what you may not realize is that you are the bride. You are the man or woman that the Creator has formed with the intent of having relationship with you. Yes, you are several generations from the first man and woman who ate of the tree of good and evil, but the Creator still exists, and will continue to exist. And, just like our ancestors, us humans continue to disobey, to sin. This sin keeps us imperfect, and separates us from the love of God, who is our Creator. But, the truth is, God's son did pay the price. He did die, a horrible death on the cross to pay for our sins, and allow us to have relationship with God. But the story doesn't end there. Death did not hold God's Son, but He overcame the grave, and became victorious over death, living eternally as our Saviour.

And our Saviour offers you a choice. He has come so that you may have life, and have it to the fullest (John 10:10). Perhaps you have never realized it, but you were created for a purpose. You were formed specifically the way you are, so that you could have a relationship with God, who loves you more than you can imagine. You will never find your purpose, or have peace in life until you are doing what you were created to do: be a friend of God.

All you need to do is acknowledge that you've sinned, and recognize that Jesus paid for your sin through His death on the cross. Repent of your sin, and ask God for forgiveness. He is SO willing to extend forgiveness to a sincere heart.

The fact is, the decision to accept the relationship God offers is so much more significant than you realize. It has eternal consequences. Because God created you for relationship, he desires that relationship forever. If you choose Him, your relationship with Him will not end at death. No, you will then spend the rest of your eternity having a relationship with Him in Heaven, the place He has created for those who love Him. However, if you don't choose the love and friendship He extends, then He has no choice than to separate you from Him forever. If you refuse to accept the forgiveness offered in Christ's sacrifice, you can never be perfect, and will therefore remain unable to be in God's perfect presence. Without the perfection that is offered through Christ's salvation, you will be separated from God after death, and will never experience the splendor of Heaven. Though many people have different ideas on Hell, the truth of it is that Hell is where people are separated from God for eternity. It is insufferable for many reasons, but the main reason for the agony offered in Hell is that you will be separated from the purpose that you were created- your purpose is to live a life of relationship with God. And a purposeless life is agony.

God loves you so much, and does not want this end for you in any way! But, though He is loving, He is also just. And the requirements for Heaven is perfection earned only through the salvation of Jesus. You can not earn this, but must simply accept it, undeserving as you are. Because He is just, He must keep to His word, and therefore cannot allow those who are imperfect to enter Heaven, even though He desires this above all else.

Because of His great love for you, He has given you a choice. Choose wisely.

Your Creator can't wait to have a relationship with you. He is always there, persistent. He is standing at the door of your heart, waiting for you to recognize that He is there and to allow Him to have a friendship with you.

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"For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord" Romans 6:23

"If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9