I occasionally run across the following FB post and ones like it on my FB page.  It is attributed to Marilyn Monroe.  “I’m selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes and am out of control and at times hard to handle.  But, if you can’t handle me at my worst then you sure don’t deserve me at my best.”  I generally scroll by such generic posts and don’t give them much thought. 

But today I stopped to think about it.  In the above quote the person seems to expect to be loved despite their faults.  It can become a real quest, seeking love that just isn’t available.  The only One who really loves us the way we want to be loved is God. He is also the only one who asks to be loved in return without the same stipulations.  God doesn’t have to say, “Love me even though I have faults.”  God doesn’t have faults.  His love is perfect.   

I wonder why when God’s love is perfect and we all seem to be seeking perfect love that we avoid God’s love like it’s the plague?  Maybe it’s because perfect love requires real commitment.  When we profess to love someone who is imperfect, it’s easy to not be entirely committed, after all it’s hard to love the imperfections.  But when faced with perfect love, we run. We run because perfect love requires us to give up all that is familiar and not only receive the perfect love of God, but to pour it forth into the imperfect, undeserving souls of others.  And that is hard.

‘And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?’ Deuteronomy 10:12-13