First Love

By Sheryl Tay

I remember when I had my first crush. It was heart-racing, pulse-throbbing, and I got all fidgety every time I saw him around. And this was no different from all the other subsequent crushes and infatuations I have had. No doubt, as I grew older (and hopefully more mature), I started to consider the whole idea of boy-girl relationships (BGRs) more seriously. After all, there has to be more to BGR than the fluttering butterflies in my stomach.

I am now in my early twenties and I have never been in a romantic relationship before. Seeing my friends, one after another, entering into relationships heightens my desire for one that would hopefully lead to a happily-ever-after, just like in fairytales. Of course, unlike fairytales, there is no such thing as a perfect relationship. When two imperfect human beings share their lives together, things are never going to be smooth-sailing.

As I think about relationship, I remember my first love. It was when I first came to know Jesus personally. It was neither heart-racing nor pulse-throbbing. And I don’t get all fidgety whenever I have my daily devotions. But it was indeed life-changing. It wasn’t the onset of a love story one would typically expect. The moment I realized that Jesus paid the price for all the things I have done wrong in my life—all the temptations I have given in to, all the lies I have told, all the hurts I have inflicted on others, I was torn. But that was not all. Jesus not only paid the price for my sins, He also saved me from my brokenness and restored my relationship with God (1 Peter 3:18). This was all accomplished when He breathed His last on the cross and resurrected to life some 2,000 years ago.

So is Jesus the perfect Prince Charming? Yes, He is! In fact, He is better than Prince Charming, because He is alive and He never disappoints! He is my Fortress, a refuge in my troubles; my Best Friend who walks with me; my Counselor that guides me though life’s perplexity, and the list goes on.

This is not to say that I no longer desire human companionship; I still do, and I value it. Despite its imperfections and struggles, there is great beauty when two individuals from completely different backgrounds make the decision to work at life together, spurring each other on toward Christ. But at the same time, there are dangers that accompany it if it consumes our entire being and replaces Christ in our hearts. When that happens, we have to be intentional in approaching the throne of grace so that we may be helped (Hebrews 4:16).

Our everlasting First Love, Jesus, is the One. Only our relationship with Him is truly happily ever after, for all eternity.