UNREQUITED means (of a feeling, especially love) not returned or rewarded. In 2009 the movie, "He's just not that into you,"
was released, and the title phrase became very popular. The story
revolves around nine people whose relationships are at varying degrees
of crisis because of the desires, unmet needs and expectations,
acceptance or rejection of their partners. The protagonist is Gigi, a
woman who falls fast for men and misinterprets their every behavior as genuine love interest.
As she goes through various encounters, her friend Alex has to explain
to her that the men she has clung to do not share or reciprocate her
feelings. Fortunately, for Gigi, eventually Alex discovers that he
loves her. 
This meme was especially profound in describing the word unrequited. I,
myself have loved long and hard and been ignored and devalued, thinking
people loved me the way I loved them. I've also had people attach to me
too quickly and become wounded when I did not share their depth of
passion. The experience and pain of unrequited love is not isolated to romantic relationships (though the closer one is, the more it hurts). It happens with parents and children, leaders and followers, bosses and workers, and friends. Is this as true for you as it is for me?Our Lord Jesus was,"despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem." (Isaiah 53.3) His purpose was to love, serve, an
d die for people who would reject Him. John said, "He came unto His own, and His own received him not." (John 1:11) Paul stated he wanted to know Christ and participate or fellowship with Him in His sufferings,
and become like Him in His death.(Phil. 3:10) If that is true for us,
unrequited love, betrayals and rejection are a part of the deal. The
same folks who cried Hosanna! a week later were shouting Crucify Him! It is somewhat comforting to know that Jesus, our High Priest, is "touched with the feeling of our infirmities." (Heb.
4:15) He empathizes with our weaknesses, but that doesn't take away the
pain of unrequited love. It does however, challenge us to make some
hard biblical adjustments. Because whether enemy or friend, there are no guarantees that your love will be acknowledged or rewarded...but it should not change. Jesus gives us a hard command that sets the standard of His love in Luke 6:
27“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29If
someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If
someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31Do to others as you would have them do to you.32“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34And
if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is
that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in
full. 35But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend
to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will
be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
It looks like you and I are gonna just have to let the love Christ
has for us absorb our pain, and ask for Grace to live out His love for
others...Help, Lord!
New Life Covenant is a multi-ethnic, inter-generational and 
multi-class community. We are a church for the hurting...because everybody wants to be F.R.E.E!
multi-class community. We are a church for the hurting...because everybody wants to be F.R.E.E!
JOIN US SUNDAY
for WORSHIP at
Urban Artifact
1660 Blue Rock Street, 45223
in NORTHSIDE
for WORSHIP at
Urban Artifact
1660 Blue Rock Street, 45223
in NORTHSIDE
Sunday, August 16th
11:00 AM
No comments:
Post a Comment