Radical Love

It was raining. Again. A dreary Spring morning, cloud full of grey skies and downpours with every wind gust. Through the open window, I could hear our town waking up.

My trusty feline companion watching the birds fly past her perch, longing, I am sure, for a hunt! I watch her as she watches them, she is crouched, sleek, silent.

She has never stepped foot outside.

My experience tells a story of cats before her. It's a small stage with two acts-

Act 1

The cat goes outside and drinks anti-freeze from behind the neighbors garage.

Act 2

In the garden, I discover a cat corpse stiff, covered in the morning's dew.

A short story, seemingly two acts wouldn't be long enough to hold any interest, but you are filling in the blanks and maybe, if you are like me, wanting to know more. There isn't any more to tell. I hate that story. So, she stays indoors.

I am learning from my mistakes.

The idea of a radical love, of the sweetest love, ever present in a fairytale, dances in my heart. Where there used to be a longing and searching for it, I now know I have had it all along. Not from a charming prince or a talking horse or even a little cat with big, sweet eyes. I was born with it inside of me and I was made to share it. So were you.

How deep is radical love?

Cities were given up for it.

Treasures were cast aside.

A son was sacrificed.

The world could fall away and radical love would still be there.

One more thing...radical love is not my concept! I know, I know, I wish it was.

We all have it in us. When you mount that bike this morning, when you pick out your best city hall face to put on, while you brush your teeth and rush out the door to a destination, radical love is pulsating through you, through me. I can give it to anyone who crosses my path, really. I don't want to be selfish with my radical love, I won't hide it under unkind words and actions, I'm gonna unleash it on everyone I see or talk to.

I'm so glad Hannah is up, I'm gonna go give her some!

Who are you giving your radical love to today?

"Don't be afraid, I've redeemed you. I've called your name. You're mine. When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you. When you're in rough waters, you will not go down. When you're between a rock and a hard place, it won't be a dead end — Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior. I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in! That's how much you mean to me! That's how much I love you! I'd sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you."Isaiah 43:1b-4 (The Message)