I wish...Part 2

I received push back. 
Maybe I wasn't clear.
And I surely don't want misunderstandings in this!

I want to tell you a story.
The day after I wrote my last blog,
someone dear to me,
who has been badly hurt in an important relationship
that she desperately wants restored,
showed a depth of love that I have seldom seen.
I will not share her story, 
for it is not mine to share,
but I will tell you the statement she made
toward the end of our conversation.

I don't think that my friend can find Christ while in relationship with me.

I think that without consequences for choices and actions,

there will never be the need for Christ

and so I can't restore our relationship

no matter how much I want to.

This is not a word-for-word quote,
but is the general gist of what she said.

Her heart's desire.

Her longing.

Her deep need.

Her happiness.

Her comfort.

Put aside.

Because her love for her friend

is greater than her love for herself.

I am awed at her Christ-likeness!

This is what I meant.

More than my own heart's desire.

More than my longing.

More than my deep need.

More than my happiness.

More than my comfort.

At any cost.

I wish for my Lanny Love to have never experienced
the loss of his beloved Judy.

Even if my own loss was still a factor.

Even if it meant being with someone else whom,

I truly believe,

I could not possibly love and desire,

admire and respect

as much as I do him.

Even if it meant being alone and lonely and broken
for the rest of my life.

No matter what!

I wish he had never experienced that excruciating pain,

that horrendous loss!

For my love for him
is greater than my love for myself.

And I was so pleasured to find that I had that depth of Christ-like love within me!

You see,

Christ gave everything!

He gave up Kingship.

The Throne of Heaven.

He suffered insults and injury.

Loss.

Sorrow.

Grief.

Pain.

Because His love for us -

for you and me -

was and is greater than His own pleasure,

His own comfort,

His status.

How amazing is that!

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

~~ John 15:13 ~~