By the genius of our Creator God, our human life began with a unique combination of male and female genes, nurtured to birth within our mother's body. The first regular sound we heard in the womb was our mother's heart-beat. After birth, that same heart-beat continued to give comfort as we were nourished at mother's breast.
Perhaps that's why in the English language - and in many others too - the heart is the symbol of human love. On trees and stones it etches out a messge of what may or may not be a permanent love. We have often wondered - Do "JB" and "HK" still love each other? Did they get married and have a family? Has their relationship stood the test of time? Their carved message has aged somewhat but hasn't fared too badly!
And that's the real issue for a mother's heart too - not just the physical heart-beat and the gift of physical life, but the on-going committed love that nurtures the soul and spirit of the child, that continues to care, no matter what.
So often we talk about love as if it's only emotional attachment - romance. The problem is that romantic love is so variable. None of us lives on a romantic high all the time.
In a moment of intense passion conception takes place and the couple are "expecting" - looking forward with eager anticipation to the birth of their first child. But who was really prepared for the pain of labour? for dirty nappies? for broken sleep? Who grasped the implications of child-rearing? of toilet-training? of the education system and tuck-shops and homework? Who understood discipline? values learnt or broken? expectations and heart-ache?…
There! I've used that word again - "heart"-ache! "Heart-ache" assumes committed love. Some people are deeply disappointed when a child hasn't fulfilled their own goals and dreams. But committed love is concerned for the welfare of each child for him- or her-self. Without committed love there may well be disappointment but not heart-ache.
Love isn't a static word - it moves into action.
Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment - "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (Jn 13.34). Now that's a fine sentiment - we can all agree with it. Since Jesus told us to love even our enemies, we know that he intends that our loving have a universal application. Right here, however, he is specifically thinking of his disciples as a group of believers. In our terms, he is emphasising that they love fellow-believers in particular, not just the world in general.
Why would Jesus say that to them? Today's reading begins, "When he was gone…" (v. 31). When who was gone? Judas Iscariot who has gone off to betray him. And what's the main drive of the rest of them? The issue of which of them will be the greatest in the Kingdom. And what will they do before the night is over? They will all run away. Yes, Peter, "Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!" (v. 38) "Love one another" - that won't be so easy!
"As I have loved you…" Now that's committed love - love in action. "Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love" (v. 1b). He would die for them as a positive act of commitment. He would even pray for his enemies - those who had conspired to have him put to death and those who had carried out the sentence in the most brutal way imaginable.
Again in chapter 15 we hear it again, "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" (vv. 12-13). This is saying more than that Jesus died at the hands of schemers and brutal men. He "lay down his life". Earlier he had said, "The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life - only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father" (10.17-18). To Pilate he said, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above" (19.11).
Jesus "lay down his life". That is the extent of his committed love, his love in action.
This consistent committed love of Jesus didn't wait for a human response before he moved into action. Paul wrote to the Roman Christians, "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5.8). That's true unconditional love. It isn't non-directional. God acted very deliberately for our rescue, our salvation - looking towards our response of faith. Committed love always longs for the best and highest well-being of the person loved.
And that brings us back to mothers' love. None of our human love reflects perfectly the love of our Creator God. And true committed love knows how demanding - and exhausting - it can all be.
We need the love of God, not just as the model, but as the source of our love. Jesus came to bring us forgiveness and life. He came down to lay down his life for us. He is alive and wants to live his life - and to love his love - through us.
God's love moved into action. His heart-ache led to the cross, and in that out-pouring of redemptive love there is love enough for us all - love to lift us up, love to renew us, love to inspire and empower us.
God's heart -
true Heart -
knows heart-ache
and heart-break
as image-bearers
take and twist
and make
the gift of love
a thing unrecognisable,
then take
and break the Son,
the beloved -
nailed to a cross.
Scheme of men
that cross,
yet plan and gift
of love divine,
forgiving grace,
renewing hope,
outpouring life.
Love of God
so freely given
to make on earth
a taste of heaven.
Come,
receive him now!
Make heaven your home
and make your home
a healing haven
and a taste of heaven.
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