Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against. (yes a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. Luke 2:35 NKJV
Jesus was only 40 days old when Simeon prophesied to Mary that a sword will pierce through her soul. We can surmise that he is referring to her being present and witnessing the crucifixion of her son on the cross. We know from John 19:26 that Mary was present and witnessed the crucifixion.
We often think we have problems, and we do have problems, but then we hear of someone else’s problems and ours pale in comparison. I can’t imagine watching your firstborn being crucified on a cross for a crime HE did not commit. This, however, is what Mary had to endure.
Love Hurts is a song first recorded by the Everly Brothers in 1960 and covered by the band Nazareth in 1974. And true to its title, it talks about all the ways love hurts. Anyone who has ever loved another human being has experienced pain as a result at one time or another.
Most of us at some point in our lives will be betrayed by someone who claims to love us. We will all experience the loss of someone we love. We may be rejected by those we love. We may be falsely accused or have good intentions misunderstood and be separated from those we love. Love can be very painful.
It might bring one to question why we love in the first place. Well, we are all made that way. We are made to love the Lord and be in close fellowship with Him. And He loves us unconditionally. He loves us despite our faults. We are to love Him with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind as He commanded in Matthew 22:37.
The love we share with Jesus, however, should never be painful. We will experience pain and hurt from humans here on earth. The love we share with Jesus is the kind that is spoken of in 1 Corinthians chapter 13, often referred to as the love chapter.
This is often read at weddings and describes a perfect, selfless kind of love. Love suffers long and is kind: love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8). These words describe the kind of love Jesus has for us. It describes the kind of love God has for His children. It’s the same kind of love we should have for Him and have for others as we are commanded in Matthew 22:37-39.
Because human beings are imperfect, however, we rarely find a love here on earth that accomplishes or gives us all these things. If possible, we are to love others in this way.
If you want a pain free love that may not be possible with mere mortals. Even if they are devoted and loving, humans don’t live forever so we may suffer loss. The only love that never hurts is the love we have in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
We are told in Philippians 4:8 to focus on all that is good, all that is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy. This also describes Jesus, if we focus on Him, we focus on all that is good.
When we put God first in our lives and live our lives imitating Christ (Ephesians 5:1) we will be hurt by others, but we will have the love of our Lord and Savior. He will be our rock and our refuge in times of trouble.
Love hurts, unless it’s the love we give to and receive from Christ.
Love Him with all you’ve got, and you won’t be disappointed.
Have a great day!