“This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins” (1 John 4:10).
George Matheson, born in 1842, composed the hymn with which I entitled today’s devotional. He was known as “the blind preacher.” From a young age, he had to use very thick, special glasses. At first he could see a little if he sat next to a window, but when he got older, he could only see shadows. His girlfriend, after noticing his vision problems not only persisted but also became worse, refused to continue in a relationship with him.
Years passed and his incredible intellectual abilities allowed him to learn many things. He decided to study Theology, a task in which his sisters greatly supported him. He became a successful speaker who was very optimistic in spite of everything. However, one night, just before one of his sisters got married, he felt terrible anguish. A woman, the love of his life, had left him. But God wouldn’t. He refers to Him in this hymn composed in the midst of extreme suffering.
Maybe at some point you’ve also suffered the breakup of a romantic relationship or you’re recovering from one right now. It’s probably one of the biggest sources of pain or sadness we can experience as human beings, but God promises that His love will not let us go and that it’s enough.
Even though the concept of courtship is not discussed very much in the Bible, we can find some principles that may be useful when forming relationships. In addition, we have Ellen White’s wise counsel (in the book Letters to Young Lovers, for instance) and the experience of adults who can guide us and listen to our worries about this very important subject. It’s not something to be embarrassed about and maybe talking about it would save us from making mistakes that could easily be avoided and many times prevent us from having our hearts broken.
He can fill any void, and if well used, the stage of being single can be a time of great growth and more intimacy with God.
He cares about those details and, in addition to comforting us in times Of despair, He longs to remind us that when He’s in the center of a relationship, even if it’s a friendship, we can feel whole.
Regardless of your situation today, remember His love will never leave you.