Unrequited Love

As I stood in church one morning, I silently prayed that God would allow me to know him more. Two words came to the forefront of my mind… unrequited love.

It’s the topic of many a movie, book or play. Unrequited love is arguably the worst feeling in the world. It can bring with it even severe physical pain. Anyone who has been there can testify that in the moment, it feels as though your heart may never feel peace again.

Paul’s prayer in Philippians 3:10 reads, “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” I wonder if this human experience of unrequited love is a glimpse into God’s heart and answer to a prayer such as this.

Scripture parallels the relationship between Christ and His church with that of a bride and bridegroom. God has written the perfect love story between Himself and each and every one of us and he is simply waiting on us to reciprocate. We’ve done not one thing to deserve it, yet he loves us still. Romans 5:6 - 5:8 tells us, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

This brings me back around to my silent dialogue with God that morning. I started to think about the way that my actions hurt the heart of God, a heart that loves me so much that He sacrificed His own son for me. In that moment, God delivered a song into my heart. I would love to share some of the lyrics.

Unrequited love
You gave unselfishly
Spoken from above
A love song just for me
You’ve loved me from afar, my heart so willing to forsake it.
You broke my heart so I could see that you’re the one who made it.
In spite of me
Your love came free

I left you at the altar
Standing amongst the crowd
I left you holding your hopes and your dreams
My heart just would not allow
You had every right to leave
But you waited for me