“Years of Love have been forgotten in the hatred of a moment.”

                                      ~ Edgar Allen Poe

The ever-famous poet Edgar Allen Poe shows great insight and knowledge in this profound statement that has endured the barriers of time and remained relevant in our culture today. A moment of passion can lead to a casualty of circumstance, the lives of the innocent sacrificed at the feet of convenience, the survivors left to endure a lifetime of regret. A moment of hatred paves the path for the mistake of a lifetime, a singular action left to haunt the soul for an eternity. Throughout history lands have been conquered, relationships forfeited and lives lost, in the span of a moment.

On this principle, dynasties have fallen and innocence has been lost. In a moment of weakness, King David of Israel determined the destruction of his legacy when he lusted after Bathsheba, it was then that the downfall of Israel began. It was a moment of doubting when Eve questioned the integrity of God and sealed the fate of the entirety of the human race. And, it was a moment of triumph when Jesus Christ hung on the cross and released with his final breath the all freeing words, “It is Finished.” The barrier between man and God that had been built in a moment was torn down in a lifetime so that man could be united with God for eternity. In so many cases a lifetime, even an eternity hinges on the decision of a moment. Throughout the gospels, there are countless times that Jesus could have fallen into temptation. A plethora of situations are supplied in which he could have reacted instead of responded, and given into the wishes of the enemy. He could have let the passion, the anger, the power, or the pride of a moment doom the salvation of the world, but He didn’t. Why? I submit to you that Jesus kept his whole life so focused and centered in on the mission and the love of the father that there was simply no room for anything else. When “in the moment” Jesus saw eternity. When faced with mangled and wicked humanity, he saw a masterpiece. When set before the torture of the cross and with it the unavoidable separation between the Father and the Son, He saw the only hope of reuniting the relationship between God and man that had been lost centuries before in the decision of a moment. Love was the answer to His success. A pure love, a true love, a God love. The God of the universe stepped down from the throne of Heaven, to show us the way, to show us truth, to show us life, and to show us love. In return He asks that we simply do the same. Jesus said in John 15:12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” This may seem like a tall order, or an unattainable dream, but let me assure you, it is a love worth dying for, but even more importantly it’s a love worth living for.