Perfect Love

"The happiness which God designs for His higher creatures is the happiness of being freely, voluntarily united to Him and to each other in an ecstasy of love and delight compared with which the most rapturous love between a man and a woman on this earth is mere milk and water. And for that they must be free. Of course God knew what would happen if they used their freedom the wrong way: apparently He thought it worth the risk." 

~C.S. Lewis

I am such a quote person and I have so many woven throughout my head that have just stuck , and this one came to mind tonight. Reading though the account of the fall in the garden of Eden is so huge; so intense. Created perfection, crowned with man and woman- beautifully and completely in communion with God. Their relationship was pure, unspoiled, unhindered. Then came deception. Through the serpent, Eve doubted God's word, and His very character. Her doubt of God's truth and goodness led to her choice to disobey. And just as God said it would happen, sin and death entered the once perfect world. Enter shame, blame, and broken relationships. And that is where the human race finds itself- in a broken relationship with the Father and in slavery to sin, by nature and by choice. But PRAISE GOD makes broken things beautiful again! I am so thankful that because of Jesus' work on the cross He has made a way to reconcile us to Himself. The relationship that was broken because of my sin is now made whole and alive through Christ and His love for me! But getting back to the quote... in conversation with my Youth Group girls tonight, the question was brought up "Well, if God knew they were going to sin then WHY did he give them the choice at all?". Go back up and read the quote again.Powerful, huh?! How deep, sweet, and fulfilling it is to have someone choose to love you. The fact that He gave us free will just shows how much our God LOVES us and DESIRES a deep intimacy with each of us. That is amazing! The quote is saying, think of the most passionate, fairy-tale, rapturous love between a man and a woman on earth.....that love is DULL compared to the love our God has for us, and the depth of it HE desires! What a humbling thought. Do you know the love of Christ?