Love
Love is the post on which the birdhouse of life stands.
“Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:8 ESV)
Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words defines love as: to have affection for, mercy, compassion, delight in, dear.
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)
There are at least eight kinds of love. (Feel free to look them up.) Some common ones are:
- Romantic love
- Brotherly love
- Family love
- Selfless love
The Bible touches on all of these. Selfless love is “agape” in Greek. It means unconditional, undeserved, complete, and sacrificial. You cannot earn this kind of love. This is the kind of love God has for you. See Grace.
Love is more than an emotion or feeling; it is an action. We do not simply have strong feelings; we do things. We give time, care, attention, companionship, protection, teaching, things, and more.
“Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” (1 John 3:18 ESV)
A parent loves their children. Loving your children means feeding them, protecting them, teaching them, disciplining them, caring for them, and hugging them. Likewise, God loves you. Jesus loves you. God sent Jesus to earth to make amends, to pay for your sins.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” (John 3:16 ESV)
Jesus also came down from Heaven to teach us how to live in a way pleasing to God. He spent 33 years as a human. He wouldn’t have done that unless he loved us. Another way God gives to us is by shaping us. He sends people into our lives, and he creates circumstances that are designed to make us into our best selves, the selves that he created us to be.
The Bible says the most important thing we can do is love God. When Jesus was asked, “What is the greatest commandment?”, he replied:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment.” (Matthew 22:37-38 WEBU)
We love God by worshiping Him and following His commands.
“Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me.” (John 14:21 ESV)
The second most important thing is to love each other. We love each other by helping and serving each other.
“And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:39-40)
Your neighbor is anyone close to you. This verse is saying to care for those around you as much as you care for yourself.
Paul told us:
“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1Co 13:13 ESV)
Even if it seems you are all alone and no one cares about you, you can rest in knowing God loves you. He always has, and He always will.
Dear God,
This is overwhelming to me. I don’t understand how you can even know who I am, let alone love me, care for me, and shape me. But you can, and you do. My heart is filled with so much gratitude and relief. Thank you.
I sometimes feel abandoned and that no one cares anything about me. Please fill my heart now with your warm, welcoming love. Please kindle a fire that never fades, so that I know you are always with me and that everything that happens to me, even the painful, is part of your plan to shape me into the person you created me to be. And please show me opportunities, and give me the courage to act, to lighten someone else’s load. Help me to show others the same love you have for me.
Oh God, you are so wonderful. Please take my trembling hand and lead me until I learn to hear, rely on, and trust you in every waking moment. I may get tired, stop, pout, and complain along the way. I might even have a meltdown now and then. I know you are patient. Please wait for those moments to pass so we can continue together.
Amen