It is as every lover wishes: their gift to be accepted and cherished. I was always one for accepting the gift of someone graciously. I remember, when my parents had but little money, they would give me and Andy things that perhaps they couldn't afford, and we never once accepted with anything less than humility. We were taught that gifts are to be accepted whole-heartedly.
So it was with him. All he wanted was for the one he loved to accept what was most perfect. And, in the beginning, his lover did. It was easy. Because when things are easy it isn't hard to accept...anything. In fact, when things are easy, it is quite simple to accept without reproach.
Love is simple, or is it? He was always meant to be the hero of her story. He was always meant to be the best lover. He was always meant to be the best. But, his lover demeaned him. It wasn't hard though. Because when we humans are given perfect, we doubt intention. We begin to believe that things are: "too good to be true." And, sometimes they are. But, they weren't for his lover because he was true. All of him was truth.
Have you ever walked down a lane with trees over hanging and the sun glistening though the branches? Have you ever stood on the bank of a small creek with nothing but the sound of nature to lull you into silence and awe? What is our first thought? Do we not desire, in that moment, to share it with someone? So, it was with him. All he wanted was for his lover to stand, hold his hand, and breathe the same peace that he breathed. So he lead his beloved to the banks, and he took off the blindfold...
And he gave man paradise. God is the lover. We are the loved. How is it that so often we sympathize with a hero of a story but not the author? Do we forget that the author is the one who bred the hero? Do we forget that the author is the one who walked, lived, and carried the hero through the crags and valleys only to allow him to soar above the mountains?
I am beginning to see things a bit different. God not as author but as hero. When we see the Father as hero of this "grander story" we see that in Act I of this story...the lover gives his beloved everything that is good. God gave us all that was good. As a parent gives their child their first bike, or as a man gives his fiance her engagement ring, so God gave us himself...and the garden. And the question on the lover's mind was this: do you like it? Is it good enough? Am I good enough?
God is hero...God is lover...and he gave all.
So it was with him. All he wanted was for the one he loved to accept what was most perfect. And, in the beginning, his lover did. It was easy. Because when things are easy it isn't hard to accept...anything. In fact, when things are easy, it is quite simple to accept without reproach.
Love is simple, or is it? He was always meant to be the hero of her story. He was always meant to be the best lover. He was always meant to be the best. But, his lover demeaned him. It wasn't hard though. Because when we humans are given perfect, we doubt intention. We begin to believe that things are: "too good to be true." And, sometimes they are. But, they weren't for his lover because he was true. All of him was truth.
Have you ever walked down a lane with trees over hanging and the sun glistening though the branches? Have you ever stood on the bank of a small creek with nothing but the sound of nature to lull you into silence and awe? What is our first thought? Do we not desire, in that moment, to share it with someone? So, it was with him. All he wanted was for his lover to stand, hold his hand, and breathe the same peace that he breathed. So he lead his beloved to the banks, and he took off the blindfold...
And he gave man paradise. God is the lover. We are the loved. How is it that so often we sympathize with a hero of a story but not the author? Do we forget that the author is the one who bred the hero? Do we forget that the author is the one who walked, lived, and carried the hero through the crags and valleys only to allow him to soar above the mountains?
I am beginning to see things a bit different. God not as author but as hero. When we see the Father as hero of this "grander story" we see that in Act I of this story...the lover gives his beloved everything that is good. God gave us all that was good. As a parent gives their child their first bike, or as a man gives his fiance her engagement ring, so God gave us himself...and the garden. And the question on the lover's mind was this: do you like it? Is it good enough? Am I good enough?
God is hero...God is lover...and he gave all.
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