Rosalinda Hernandez
Perfect Love.
Fear is the one thing every human being have experienced at one point or another in life. We’ve all felt it. We all know that dark, encroaching panic that claws at our hearts.
For years I’ve heard the same pat answer, the same verse over and over until I can quote it verbatim. “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18.
Okay, so to get rid of fear, I need perfect love. Got it. But then I’m faced with a scary situation, suddenly I realize…I have no idea what ‘perfect love’ means.
It is interesting to note, the Greek word for “drives” or “casts” (as in perfect loves “drives” out fear) has to do with a violent displacement. It means love grabs fear by the throat and throws it through the window. But what exactly is perfect love?
God revealed the beauty of this phrase to me in a very tender way. During an encounter with Jesus, I was walking on a pathway with my eyes set on Him. As I was walking, I felt fear and the fear of men stripping away from me. But the interesting thing is that my eyes were set on Jesus!
What does the Bible tells us about Jesus? It says repeatedly that He is love. Perfect love. We fear because we forget that God made us with His Love. His love drives, pushes, and casts away all of our tormenting thoughts and fears.
Suddenly, I understood.
Perfect love is Jesus, God wrapped in human flesh. Perfect Love goes to any length to save and any height to reach. Perfect Love is complete, all consuming, with no traces of doubt in the power of the Holy One. Perfect Love sets a glittering crown on the head of the orphan and calls her “Beloved Daughter”.
I get it now.
I’ll keep my eyes fixed and my heart melded to Jesus. Fear has no chance against such a Love.
Written by: Rosalinda Hernandez
