Listen up, younger me, if you can hear this: First of all, of course Christ also responds to your love. Your question comes from a place of longing, where you want to be truly met and give back that same sort of love. But no (and this is not a contradiction), you cannot by yourself initiate a response of love from Him, because the love you have for Him came from Him in the first place. The Holy Spirit planted it there when He came to live in you. His mission is to grow that love day by day forever, until it's a sky-shattering, crystal-clear-pure, spilling-over-every-bank sort of love. And when it finally reaches that point, it will have only just begun to blossom, by comparison to His love for you.
Secondly, your question comes from a place of misunderstanding what Jesus really did at Calvary. You understand it partially, but you don't grasp -- because none of us can grasp -- what He carried for us all on that day. To pay our redemption, He carried everything in our place. You may appreciate this a bit better when you get to the end of the year 2016 and the world is falling apart at breakneck speed before your eyes.
When this happens, remember this -- Christ died not only to rescue us, but to conform us into His own holy image. Everything in you that is not like Christ yet is trying to destroy Christ. Hint: pick the right team in this battle. Don't make choices that will put anything at war against His own nature.
I mention all this because, looking around, I am aching for the perfect, holy heart of Jesus to be visible without compromise, so that all those who are given eyes to see will say "yes" to Him. I also mention it because of a hymn we sang in church not long ago. The story behind it is not far off my own story of misplaced indignance.
The story is here ("O Christ, What Burdens Bowed Thy Head" hymn page):
A soldier's misunderstanding
The hymn is "O Christ, What Burdens Bowed Thy Head," written by Anne R. Cousin (1824-1906). The tune, "Substitution," was composed by Ira D. Sankey (1840-1908).
Here are Anne Cousin's lyrics, which also appear on the page I've linked to above. Perhaps never in all of history have we so needed to respond in humility and repentance to the message of this hymn.
O Christ, what burdens bowed Thy head! Our load was laid on Thee; Thou stoodest in the sinner’s stead, Didst bear all ill for me. A Victim led, Thy blood was shed; Now there’s no load for me. Death and the curse were in our cup: O Christ, ’twas full for Thee; But Thou hast drained the last dark drop, ’Tis empty now for me. That bitter cup, love drank it up; Now blessing’s draught for me. Jehovah lifted up His rod; O Christ, it fell on Thee! Thou wast sore stricken of Thy God; There’s not one stroke for me. Thy tears, Thy blood, beneath it flowed; Thy bruising healeth me. The tempest’s awful voice was heard, O Christ, it broke on Thee! Thy open bosom was my ward, It braved the storm for me. Thy form was scarred, Thy visage marred; Now cloudless peace for me. Jehovah bade His sword awake; O Christ, it woke ’gainst Thee! Thy blood the flaming blade must slake; Thine heart its sheath must be; All for my sake, my peace to make; Now sleeps that sword for me. For me, Lord Jesus, Thou hast died, And I have died in Thee! Thou’rt ris’n—my hands are all untied, And now Thou liv’st in me. When purified, made white and tried, Thy glory then for me! |