Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Broken Heart

I remember my first broken heart. Eighth grade, Bobby G. He dropped me for another girl. I was rejected, heartsick, and could barely eat or sleep. Honestly, I thought I'd never recover! That was the first of many heartbreaks. They all seem silly now. Teenage tears brought on by rejection. Arrows to a passionate heart.
Webster's defines passion as "the suffering of Christ between the night of the Last Supper and his death." Christ's passion was for us. He loved us so much He was unwilling to leave us stranded in our sin with no hope of recovery. He would rather die for us than to live without us. He experienced true rejection, true heartbreak. He agonized in the Garden with no sleeping or eating, just prayers, tears, and sweats of blood. Our sin broke His heart.
Why does my own sin not always break my heart? Sin is rejecting God in a moment when I choose my desires over His ways. Why am I so sensitive when someone hurts or rejects me, yet callous when I grieve my Lord and Savior? What measure of love does it take before rejection of the One I love breaks my own heart? I pray to have a heart that is more sensitive to God than self; that counts the cost of fleshly desires over heavenly gain; that is willing to suffer long than indulge in a lustful momentary pleasure.
In a moment Jesus could have left us rejected and heartbroken. Instead He bore both for me and for you.