When Love Runs Smooth

"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them." — 1 John 4:16 (NIV)

In Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Lysander reflects, “The course of true love never did run smooth.” For all who have ever loved, the words ring true. Even in the most stable of relationships, the waters of love can grow choppy, with currents of misunderstanding or swells of disappointment. Yet love endures.

So it is with God’s love. At times, we may feel the turbulence of life and imagine that God has drifted away. But Scripture assures us: God’s love is steadfast. In Christ, the Word made flesh, we see that love embodied and abiding. 

When we grow distant, it is not because God has ceased to love us, but because we have lost sight of his nearness. His love remains, constant and sure—unlike the rocky course of human love, God’s love runs smooth, steady, and unbroken.

This love does more than comfort—it transforms. God’s grace steadies us and shapes us, enabling us to grow in holy love. As we live in that love, we are called to reflect it outward: forgiving when wronged, showing kindness when it is undeserved, and embodying patience when others falter.

The hope of Christian perfection is that when others look at our lives, they see the honest reflection of God’s love—love that shines through even our imperfections. And together, in community, this love becomes visible, binding us as the living presence of Christ in the world.

Lord, steady us in your love. When the waters of life grow choppy, remind us that your love does not fail. Shape us by your grace, that we may love others with holy love and embody your presence together. Let our lives reflect your love, so that others may see in us the witness of Christ. Amen.

Peace & Grace,

Pastor Tim