Page 165 - Radical Love by Linda Robinson

RADICAL LOVE

This unconditional and unlimited love is what John the Apostle calls

‘God’s first love.’ ‘Let us love,’ he says, ‘because God first loved us.’
(1 John 4:19)

The love that often leaves us doubtful, frustrated, angry, resentful, and
disappointed is the second love—that is to say, the affirmation,

affection, sympathy, encouragement, and support we receive from

parents, spouses, teachers, and friends. We all know how limited,
fragile, and imperfect love can be. Behind the many expressions of this

second love, there is always the possibility of rejection, withdrawal,
violence, and exploitation. However, this is not the case with the first

love, which is of God.

The radical good news is that the second love is only a broken reflection
of the first love, which is offered to us from God and endures forever.

Jesus’s sacrificial, steadfast, never-ending, limitless love is the
incarnation of the first love of God.”

Remember how back in Chapter 1, as she began to be stirred by His

presence, He said virtually the same thing (see 1:15). The Bridegroom-
King called her lovely—beauty itself—with passionate eyes like gentle

doves. I believe this is because His measure of love towards us is
always the same: forever constant and impossible to verbalise in terms

of its depth, height, and width.

In Chapter 1, her eyes were passionate to know Him, but passion is not

enough to enable our full surrender. Peter was passionate but betrayed

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