I Love Reading

I love reading – I was one of those kids who used to read under the covers when I was supposed to be asleep – and when I have time I still love to read all kinds of things.     While between jobs earlier this year I had quite a bit more time to read than usual.   One day my sister-in-law thrust the four volumes of the Twilight series into my hands and told me how good they were.    I wasn't really sure I wanted to read them, as my imagination is far too vivid to let me sleep peacefully with images of monsters in my head… and I’d rather think about nicer things.  However I did pick up the first novel, and a couple of chapters in I was completely hooked!   The author is an excellent storyteller, but there seemed to be something even stronger which was pulling me in.  I can’t remember the last time I’ve felt such a strong need to finish a book - and then the other three as well!     I just had to know what was going to happen.     Reflecting on this I began to wonder what was so attractive to me!     And I came to realise that apart from the exciting storyline, what was really drawing me in was the relationship between Edward and Bella.There was one scene in one of the Twilight movies that particularly moved me.  Edward thinks Bella is dead and so is about to do something which will bring about his own death (think Romeo and Juliet).   He can’t imagine living in a world where Bella doesn't exist - and so wants to follow her into death, hoping they’ll be together again in the afterlife.   After literally crossing the world to save him, Bella is stunned to find that despite Edward breaking off the relationship and leaving her, he had never stopped loving her.  The separation was only to protect her.     "But it makes no sense for you to love me," says Bella. "I'm human, I'm nothing."   To this Edward says with great emotion "Bella, to me you are everything, everything."I'm sure there are many people out there who have fantasized from time to time about having an "Edward" in their lives.    A life partner who is a strong protector,  who loves with a love that cannot be changed, with a love that only ever wants the best for the other person, who would even die so the relationship could continue.   Someone to whom you can belong utterly and completely, with whom you feel complete and safe and unconditionally loved.As I read, I was musing to myself that it just wasn't possible to have a relationship that good.    Then a voice in my head, God's voice, said "Oh yes it is – and you already do have a relationship like that".Coming close to Easter this is made even clearer as we see what Jesus has done for us.    We might cry on Maundy Thursday, "It makes no sense for you to love me,"  but on Good Friday God says right back at us,  "To me you are everything."    And because of Good Friday we can have that life-changing relationship – with the God who loves us more than we can even begin to imagine.Praise Him!Liz Pemberton