“And this is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent” John 17:3 ESV1
Last year about this time, I was watching my grandchildren so my daughter and son-in-law could go on a Valentine’s Weekend Retreat with their Small Group. I got to spend some special one-on-one with my preschool granddaughter while her baby brother took his morning naps.
W. Phillip Keller, in his book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, wrote, “The beautiful relationships given to us repeatedly in Scripture between God and man are those of a father to his children and a shepherd to his sheep. These concepts were first conceived in the mind of God our Father. They were made possible and practical through the work of Christ. They were confirmed and made real in me through the agency of the gracious Holy Spirit.”2 Mr. Keller continued, “It is no accident that God has chosen to call us sheep. The behavior of sheep and human beings is similar in many ways … Our mass mind (or mob instincts), our fears and timidity, our stubbornness and stupidity, our perverse habits are all parallels of profound importance. Yet despite these adverse characteristics, Christ chooses us, buys us, calls us by name, makes us His own, and delights in caring for us.”3
I am more of a realist than a romantic. I prefer to read non-fiction over fiction. I would rather watch action/adventure movies than dramas. But there is something about a classic love story that touches my heart. When a man of princely character slays a dragon of a problem to help a damsel in distress, I can’t help but be fascinated. When a man, worthy to be called noble, falls in love with a struggling woman and makes her his bride, thus, lifting her from her negative circumstances, I am inspired by selfless love. When true love breaks through all barriers to bring new life into a hopeless situation, I find myself overwhelmed with emotion.