Devotionals

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The language of love......Felix Abrahams Obi



Love has a language.Many show some dexterity in its use but a macrocosm
of the society are not schooled in its use especially in our culture
where the expression of affection towards a loved one faces
misunderstanding and the critical looks of custodians of our esteemed
culture here in Africa.Hardly do African couples express love to each
other without some degree of inhibition as though love is a product
branded by the whiteman. But over the years,we've been stung to some
extent by this love bug from the west and love is no longer a word that
sounds choking to the mouth again!

I too had similar problems with love.Worsestill,I thought being a born
again christian made it mandatory for me to stay clear from the word,
love ,for what the society called love seemed to me an anathema of
sorts.So I was wary of venturing into or writing romantic poems or
fictional stories having love as the central motiff.Who am I to blame for
being "un romantic" except my very self that was hoodwinked by ignorance?
Am I being too hard on myself? For those who loathe to use romantic
words,please hear my story:

The Bible has taught me romance in a sublime way.I never knew romance and
stories of love filled the bible as a young christian.How ignorant I
was...!

One day,I read the book of Genesis and was amazed to find that Adam was
the first man that ever recited a romantic poem.He exclaimed when he saw
Eve saying,"she's the bone of my bones and the flesh of my flesh...!"So
Adam ,the father of all humans was a great oral performance poet!

In same Genesis,one is confronted by the Oscar award winning romantic
story that had Jacob and Rachel as the main actors.It sure will make a
great Hollywood best seller anyday.Jacob, for the sake of his undying
love for Rachel opted to be a slave for 14 years suffering all manner of
misdeeds in the hands of his father-inlaw.What more can be romantic than
unfeigned love!

Samson,the macho man of Israel had a bitter experience of romance. He
sought for it at the bosom of a sham lover,Delilah.H thus lost his
eyes,his strength,his stardom,his dignity and royalty for not discerning
real love from mere romantic show by a woman he thought loved him.

David for the sake of love fought,killed and dissected the foreskin of
400 philistine which was the dowry for his heart throb,Micah the daughter
of the King Saul!

King Solomon to me is the greatest romantic poet I have ever known.He
wrote the only book in the bible that had no mention of God in it's
entire chapter.His "songs of solomon" is a narrative poem about his
romance with a Shunamite damsel.He sure understood the language of love!

As I read more of the bible,I was amazed at the intensity of passion that
God expressed while referring to his beloved nation, Israel.I was
enthused to find out that God Himself is a Romantic Poet whose exuded
passion in expressing his love for humanity...his beloved! Though it may
sound romantic in some sense,however His Love is more than romance can
offer: His love transcends passion,or any others known feeling of love.He
declared:
" I have loved you,with an everlasting loveI have drawn you with my
loving kindness"...(Jeremiah 31:3)


" I know the Thoughts I have towards you...thoughts of peace...to give
you an expected end."..(Jeremiah 29:11)

"I will allure her( Israel) and bring her into the wilderness and speak
tenderly(romantically) to her...and she shall sing there as in the days
of her youth."....(Hosea 2:14-15)

Knowing that God loves passionately,several characters in the bible did
not hesitate to express passion for him too.Those who loved him sounded
romantically too but one that is beyond mere feelings.How touched I was
when I read the following verses in the bible:

"As the deer pants for water,so my soul longs for you ,Lord"..(psalm
42:1)

"MY soul thirsts for you and my flesh longs for you."..(psalm 63:1)

"My soul longs ,even faints for you ....my heart and flesh cry out for
the living God"...(psalm 84:2)

"Whom have I in heaven but you.There's none on earth I desire besides
you,Lord"..(psalm 73:25)

God's romance was culminated at a gruesome cross at Calvary where he
showed the world that he loved them.His language was fully complemented
by the action of love.He showed that he loved,by words and deeds.

So I have no problem using romantic words for those that are dear to
me,for those that are worthy or unworthy of my love.Yet if my love is all
about the use of romantic words like ,"honey,I miss you" or such terms as
sweetheart etc,then my romantic love is incomplete.

As we celebrate Valentine's day,may we look beyond the realm of romantic
love that is hinged on feelings.We should launch deeper into the realm
where love is expressed through self-sacrifice for the sake of the
beloved.Such is the language that love knows....giving oneself for the
good of others!

Shalom and cheerio.

From,

Felix Obi

"nuggetzman"

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Obi,Felix Chukwudi,jr
dept of physiotherapy
national orthopaedic hospital
Ikorodu road Igbobi
pmb 2009 Yaba lagos
Nigeria
off tel..01 4935220 (ext 219)
mobile...0803 3187876
--" A nuggetz can change your life"
Felix Obi
[email protected]

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