a love story

I’m sitting across from my daughter at our dimly lit kitchen table. It’s late, her tears from hours before are now gone but her sorrow is still brutally alive.

This love story began nearly two and a half years ago. It was Becka who first notice Luke at school but it didn’t take long for the spark of interest to become a steady flame. They were always either hanging out at our house to his, going out with friends and texting each other all hours’ of the day or night. Luke was always welcome in our home. He would never miss a game night and it was nice having him around. We would play dominoes until late into the night, all of us laughing and carrying on. I remember the first night Luke called to break his plans with Becka. It was a Friday night and Luke and “the guys” had plans the following day, there wasn’t enough gas in the tank for both, and of course he knew Becka would understand. She was disappointed but she soon got used to it. Luke would explain that “going out with the guys was important and it wasn’t the kind of thing you do with your girlfriend”. I guess that was the beginning of the end in some ways. Soon after, they just stopped going out just the two of them, the personal time together wasn’t a priority anymore. He was still over to our house a lot and game night never changed. Becka would continue to pray for Gods best for Luke. My wife and I were concerned about the changes we saw in their relationship, but honestly Luke was a kind and friendly boy, and not likely to get into any trouble, and we all loved him.

Tonight was the night of their senior prom. They didn’t go. Oh sure the dress was bought and the flowers were ordered. Luke had barrowed his uncles BMW and had spent the entire afternoon giving that car a meticulous cleaning inside and out. The stage was set for the perfect night, until Becka asked Luke to come over to talk. With a heavy heart Becka shared the truth of their relationship. Truth that Luke had never considered, or wanted too. She first shared how much she loved him, how much she enjoyed his company and longed for time together. “It’s wrong for me to keep you from what you want”. “You don’t love me, you barely know me, and honestly you haven’t even pursued me”. “You are more content to be around me than with me, I love you too much to let you stay with someone you don’t love back”.

Luke was a fixture in our home. We all enjoyed him, we still do, but just like the elephant in the room, he never needed a relationship with Becka. Being a part of our family and our activities was enough to satisfy him. Sadly, Luke never realized it.

“Not everyone who say’s Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of God.” Matthew 7:21a

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” Matthew 22:37, 38

Heaven is a place set apart for those people who love God. People who long to be with God and who desire to be like God. Going to church every time the doors are open is not necessarily the same as spending time with God. Hosting a small group in your home is not necessarily pursing God, and living a moral life is not necessarily serving God. There is no substitute for loving God except, loving God.