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"Those who loved me," Jesus says, "will be loved by my father, and I too will love them" John 14:21
In 1956, a
song "Why Do Fools Fall in Love"
reached No 1 on the R&B charts and was acclaimed to be one of the records
that defined the new and rising genre of rock and roll. It was written and
recorded by a group Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers and helped to make Frankie
Lymon a rock and roll pioneer. Frankie was only thirteen years old when the song
became a hit.
“Love is a
losing game
Love can be a
shame
I know of a
fool you see, for that fool is me
Tell me why,
tell my why?
Why do fools
fall in love
Why do birds
sing so gay?
And lovers
await the break of day
Why do they
fall in love?”
The song proved to be a self
fulfilling prophecy for Frankie Lymon. After the success, Lymon started a solo singing career but it all fell apart. Lymon's career was over by the time he was eighteen years old, and he died of a heroin overdose seven years later. He was unable to develop any meaningful
relationships with women.
One could
well have asked the same question, “Why do fools fall in love” of the marriage
between the prophet Hosea and his wife, Gomer. In Hosea 1:2 it is recorded “The
LORD began to speak through Hosea,
the LORD said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her.”
It was a
strange command; a strange relationship developed. Time and time again Gomer, Hosea’s
wife, would prove unfaithful to him and repeatedly, Hosea would reconcile with
her. Hosea 3:1 recorded “The Lord said to me,
“Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and
is an adulterer. Love her as the Lord loves the
Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.”
Why?
The love-relationship between Hosea and his unfaithful wife, Gomer would be the
showcase of God’s relationship with His people. Despite the unfaithfulness of
God’s people, the Israelites, who would time and time again turned to other
gods, God’s forgiving love continually forgave and restored the special
covenant between God and His people. Hosea's love mirrored God's redeeming love for the Israelites and for Christians.
Recently, Michael Card composed “The Song of Gomer”; the first verse and chorus read:
“Don't know what he sees in me
He is spirit, he is free
And I, the wife of adultery
Gomer is my name.
Simply more than I can see
How he keeps on forgiving me;
How he keeps his sanity
Hosea, you're a fool.
Chorus:
A fool to love someone like me,
A fool to suffer silently;
Though sometimes through your eyes I see
I'd rather be a fool.”
There is a sharp contrast between
Michael’s song compared with Frankie’s. Michael’s song speaks of a true and
faithful love, Frankie’s song spoke of fleeting romance.
Love is all about relationship. As Christians, we are blessed; we
enjoy an enduring relationship with God. This began when we received our salvation in Christ and this love grows as our relationship with Christ matures. Even then we often fail God; our love for God fickle,
failing and fleeting. Yet, God’s love for us is forthright, faithful and
forever. It forms the basis of our enduring walk with God.
We are loved by God and we belong to Him. Henri Nouwen wrote, "God says to you, "I have called you from all eternity and you are engraved from all eternity in the palms of My hands. You are Mine. You belong to Me and I love you with an everlasting love." (Ref 1)
Lionel
Ref 1: Henri Nouwen, You Are the Beloved, Daily Meditations For Spiritual Living. Hodder & Stoughton 2017
Adapted from a sermon given by Rev(Dr)
Andrew Peh on the 23 Sep 2012
Updated from a previous article dated 10 Nov 2012
