Trust me, I have not earned your dear rebuke, I love, as…
“Trust me, I have not earned your dear rebuke, I love, as you would have me, God the most; Would lose not Him, but you, must one be lost, Nor with Lot's wife cast back a faithless look Unready to forego what I forsook; This say I, having counted up the cost, This, tho' I be the feeblest of God's host, The sorriest sheep Christ shepherds with His crook. Yet while I love my God the most, I deem That I can never love you overmuch; I love Him more, so let me love you too; Yea, as I apprehend it, love is such I cannot love you if I love not Him. I cannot love Him if I love not you.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The speaker wrestles with the tension between divine love and human affection, asserting that true love cannot be divided.
In simple terms: Love for God and love for others are intertwined.
Key Takeaway
Balance devotion and relationships.
Themes
faith
love
conflict
devotion
relationships
Mood
reflective
conflicted
hopeful
Type
poetic
spiritual
When to use this quote
- personal relationships
- spiritual practice
- conflict resolution
- ethical decision making
Key Concepts
theology
human emotion
spiritual paradox
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you reconcile love for a deity with love for people?
- Can love be truly exclusive?
A Different Perspective
Love may be limited by exclusive devotion to God.