I remember when I was a young boy around the time when "Twilight" just came out. There was a phrase that I constantly heard being thrown around: “Still a better love story than 'Twilight.'" I remember using it for every corny love story that was told, mostly due to the fact that whatever corny love story it was, it would trump Twilight’s love story (Sorry not sorry). Well, today I want to narrate a story that is and will always be a better love story than Twilight.
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In the beginning, there was no Earth, no creation. However, there existed a king who lived in His own world. He created millions and millions of celestial servants who longed to be in His presence and worshipped Him day and night. He was the creator of all things that was and was to be. Among His creation was the most perfect celestial being; his name was Lucifer, bringer of light. This being was chief to all the other celestial beings. However, Lucifer desired more power and thirsted for the king’s seat. Because of his pride, he coerced a third of the celestial beings to revolt against the king. A huge battle erupted in the kingdom and Lucifer and the rebel beings were banished from the kingdom. Lucifer was no longer a light bearer but a bearer of pain and sin. He was now known as Satan.
The king continued to create and out of his mercy and goodness came the universe: the stars, the moon, the sun, the animals, the plants, and all of creation. Most importantly, humans were created. The king loved His Creation and walked with it, nourishing it. However, Satan saw his chance to get back at the king for what He had done to him. Satan came down and convinced the humans that their king did not know what was good for them, that He did not love them and only desired them to be submissive to Him. The humans believed Satan and turned their backs on the king who only desired to love them.
Satan continued to draw humans away from their king, and no matter what the king did, He could not bring back His creation. Satan only wanted to kill the people because they walked with the king in His palace but he, the former light bearer, could no longer do so. He despised and hated humans. The king sent messenger after messenger to his people. He raised up great men amidst His fallen creation in order to proclaim His love. However, it was all for naught for the people could no longer hear His voice. They killed every messenger that the king sent under Satan’s influence. Satan knew that the people were slowly dying and rejoiced in the fact that He hurt the king. His revenge was almost complete.
The king decided that He had enough of what was happening to His creation. The king had a son, His only beloved Son. The Son was close to the Father’s heart, and they were essentially one being. He sent His Son to go to Satan and compromise: the Son’s life for the lives of the people who He so dearly loved. The Son willingly went for His Father because He shared and knew His Father’s love for creation. After all, He was with His Father when His Father first brought creation to life. Satan gleefully induced the people to kill the Son, believing this to be the greatest and final revenge that He would have on the king. However, the Son rose from the dead on the third day, triumphing over the death that Satan had so long had control of.
When the Son died and was resurrected, the people were free from Satan’s influence. They were covered in the Son’s blood and were able to come back to the king. The king joyfully accepted those who came to Him, viewing them as having been born anew again with His Son’s blood. Because they were reborn again through the Son’s blood, they were no longer just a part of His creation; they were His sons and daughters.
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The greatest love is when a person lays down his or her life for someone. Life is the most precious thing to a person; we fight to gain immortality through science and medicine. We wish to live as long as possible. When a person gives that up completely for another, that is love. And that is what God did for humanity. Humanity was so entrenched in its selfishness and pain that it could no longer show love nor receive it. It was destined to die. However, “God so loved the world that he gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16. This love triumphs over all darkness and sin. It is a love that does not think about self but of the other. Sin is all about the self. Love is all about the other.
You have the option to allow this to be just another story that you hear. It can be, to you, another myth from the past. However, if you accept it, you can allow it to radically change your life. Because we are meant to do the same as our God. To give all of ourselves for the other. To forget ourselves because of love.
“This is the meaning of true love, to give until it hurts” –Mother Teresa
