And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. Matthew 22:37
Ahhh, the thrill of young love! My friend Heidi was a widow in her 70s when she fell in love a second time. When love is young, no matter the age, the lovers pursue each other. She and her intended sought to spend all their time together. They snatched every moment, and it was never enough. Absence filled their hearts with longing for the thrill of being together again.
This is the kind of first love that Jesus longs for. Just like a couple in love, God and I are pursuing each other. We are seeking to spend all our time together. We snatch every moment we can to be together . . . and it is never enough. When tasks pull us apart, we are constantly thinking of each other . . . longing for the next opportunity to be in each other’s presence again. The loving, longing, anticipation of together time is part of the first love that Jesus talked about.
Song of Songs says I have captured His heart by the glance of my eyes (SS 4:9). Again, I think of young love; the way our hearts tumble when our eyes meet across a crowded room. Jesus’ fiery eyes of passion are always on me – loving me from afar – waiting for me to turn my attention to Him.
Jesus is captivated by our words of devotion to Him. Think of the way our hearts melt at the sound of our lover’s words of devotion. No matter how many times your beloved says, “I love you,” you delight to hear it again. This excitement of young love is the heart Jesus is looking for. He longs to hear us express our love for Him with the voice He has given us. It melts His heart. He wants to warm our hearts with His words of love for us. This is one of the many reasons why He used a Bride and Groom to describe our relationship with Him.
I encourage you to spend time in His presence today. Declare your love for Him, out loud. Listen for words of devotion from the Lover of your Soul. You will captivate His heart as He captivates yours. Glory in the thrill of young love.