Bible Passage: “And he said to him, ‘Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.’ And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’ Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” (Mark 10:21)
Scripture Reading: Mark 10:17-31; John 3:16; Ephesians 2:4; Ephesians 3:14-19; 1 John 4:19
I’ve heard it said that love is an action, not an emotion.
While I understand that this teaching aims to bring correction to the issue of over-emotionalism, I must disagree.
One of the reasons I disagree is because of our Scripture today.
In Mark 10:21, we see Jesus’ love for the rich young ruler coming through with just a look. No grand action, no acts of service—just a look that came from what He felt towards this young man.
It’s the same Greek word (ēgapēsen; or agape) that’s used in John 3:16 (“For God so loved the world…”), Ephesians 2:4 (“…the great love with which He loved us…”), and 1 John 4:19 (“…because He first loved us.”).
This love that Jesus felt for the young man was beyond just an action—He felt it.
When I read this Scripture, I often wonder what it would feel like to have Jesus look at me with the eyes of love. I can picture the kindness, the tenderness, and the vulnerability. How anyone could walk away from that is beyond me, but to unpack that is above my pay grade.
The love of Jesus is wider and deeper than anything we could imagine, quantify, or even study (Ephesians 3:14-19). It’ll take eternity for us to even start to understand the depth of His love, yet the love He felt in His humanity suggests that it’s something we can relate to.
Psychologists define love as a universal physiological and psychological state that entails the desire to be with another person.
Jesus felt this emotion that drew Him to desire to be with the rich young ruler. He desired to be with His disciples.
God so desired to be with us that He sent His Son to die on a cross for our sake. That’s a passionate, intense love.
He desires to be with me, and He desires to be with you today.
Will you give Him what He longs for?
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for this incredible love that’s wider and deeper than anything I can even imagine. Yet Your Word gives us a glimpse of the reality of this love. Give us revelation about what it is like to have You look at us with the eyes of love. Thank You for Your desire to be with us; give us the grace to respond. Amen.
Reflection: What does the love you feel for those who are closest to you teach you about the love of Jesus? What barriers keep you from satisfying Jesus’ desire to be with you?
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