It is a love story

For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called. (Isaiah 54:5 ESV)

 Although the Bible contains 66 books, commentators have often noted that it is really one book with a consistent theme. It is a love story.
 This love story truly starts “in the beginning” when God created man and woman. He fashioned them exactly as He wanted, breathed the breath of life into them, and then admired His handiwork: “This is very good!”
 Unfortunately, the man and woman chose to reject God’s offer of an eternal, perfect, intimate relationship with Him and chose to wander away into selfishness and sin. Throughout the millennia, we tried all sorts of things to recover the feeling of fulfillment that this lost intimacy provided, but nothing was able to satisfy.
 In the end, although it was we who turned our backs on God, it was He who initiated reconciliation. In His love, He knew that there was only one solution. Despite the cost, He chose to willingly send His own Son to lead the way back to Him.
 What does that mean for us? It means Christianity is not a religion, nor a bunch of rules. Christianity is a relationship—and not any relationship, but a marriage, where there is meant to be intimacy, transparency, open communication, and shared dreams, goals, and desires. —Ronan Keane [1]

 All the peace and favor of the world cannot calm a troubled heart; but where this peace is which Christ gives, all the trouble and disquiet of the world cannot disturb it. —Robert Leighton (1613–1684)

[1] Activated A Love Story