Love Is Vulnerable

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering….”
Isaiah 53:3 (NIV)

C. S. Lewis said, “To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”

Lewis aptly describes the sacrifice of love and the risk of rejection it involves.  So many today describe love as give and take when the truth is real love is giving all.  John uses Christ as the example of that kind of love in 1 John 3:16 when he writes, “This is how we know what love is:  Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” 

John is describing the sacrificial nature of love.  Jesus laid down His life for us regardless of our response.  He gave His all for you and me.  His love wasn’t a 50/50 exchange of affection.  “I’ll love you if you love me.”  It wasn’t even an “I love you because…”  It was simply “I love you.” The depth of that commitment is revealed in His sacrifice. 

Love also risks rejection.  Contrary to the fake news that love is safe and easy, real love is dangerous and risky.  John’s Gospel tells us, “(Jesus) came to His own people, and even they rejected Him.” (John 1:11, NLT). Isaiah predicted as much. Over 700 years before Jesus came to earth, he prophesied that the Messiah to come would be despised and rejected by men in Isaiah 53:3.  

Even at the cross, suspended between heaven and earth, Jesus stretched out His arms between two sinners.  One would reject Him, and the other would repent.  Why would He risk the rejection and make such a sacrifice? Because of love!  The feelings of love may fail, but the Bible says, “Love never fails!”  (1 Corinthians 13:8, NIV).

---

To read this devotional online or catch up on past ones, visit https://kerryshook.org/blog.

Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.

Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.