Love truly is the greatest thing in the world, although sometimes a little misunderstood. We live in a confusing time and culture for love, as our amazing God (who is love) is often vilified, while acceptance of sin is glorified. There are so many mixed messages and definitions of love today. It can be difficult to sort through it all and find the truth. I think most of us would say we know what love is, but do we really? For as long as I can remember I have known scriptures such as "love never fails" and "love your neighbor as yourself." But what does this all really mean? What is love? What does it look like? I have to be honest, I don't think I truly understood love until fairly recently. And I'm still learning. But I have spent some time studying and practicing and observing it, and I would like to share what I learned so far.
💗A True Love Story💗
In the Beginning There was Love
"The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: 'I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness."
Jeremiah 31:3
If you haven't read much of the Bible, I can tell you that from the very beginning it is a love story. I am going try my best to give you a brief summary of it.
God, who is love, the Great I Am, wanted a family. He wanted someone, made in His image and likeness, to walk with and talk with and fellowship with. So He made man (and woman). But without a choice, love isn't really love. Without some degree of free will, we would all just be robots programmed to serve Him. That's not what God wanted. So He gave us a choice, in the form of a tree. We chose wrong. But God foreknew us before the foundation of the world. He knew we would fall. So God had a plan. A wonderful, amazing, beautiful plan to save us. But our enemy also had a plan -- Satan knew the prophecy that a seed of a woman would destroy him, so he did all he could to keep that from happening. To keep that man from being born or destroy Him first somehow. We can see his failed attempts, first with the murder of Abel. And then on with several more attempts, such as Haman's plan to kill all the Jews. All through the Old Testament I believe there was a war going on that we can't fully grasp just yet, as God did all He could to preserve the line of Jesus. And Satan did all he could to spoil it. I've heard people accuse God of being angry and full of wrath in the Old Testament. But God is love and He doesn't change. And when you take time to get to know Him through the Word, you can see that He is a father. Sure, maybe He seemed angry -- His children had been taken captive by an evil intruder. God wanted to save them (us). He wanted to send us a rescuer. His own son. But the timing had to be perfect. Our Savior had to be born at just the right moment, and He was.
A Picture of God's Love in Our Own Lives: A Story of Sacrifice
We almost all love someone. For most of us it's easy to love our children and families. But even then forgiveness and knowing how to love the correct way can be difficult. If you are a parent, you can probably admit that before children you were at least a little more self centered, maybe a lot more. But then your first child came into the world and something in your heart changed. You then loved another human even more than yourself. Being a parent helps us understand the heart of God, the father. Being a parent helps us understand just what an unfathomable act of love it was when God sent His own Son to die on the cross -- how difficult that must have been to not come thundering down from heaven to save His Son. We know this because we would each probably be more than willing to take our children's places and suffer for them instead. It hurts to see our kids hurt. But God endured the pain to save the rest of His children. We love our kids. But God loves them (and us) even more. His great sacrifice has proven that.
This same sacrificial love is also the heartbeat of a good marriage because it is the very heartbeat of our relationship with Christ. We are the bride. He is the groom. Jesus sacrificed His own life for us and we deny ourselves and follow Him. A woman leaves her mother and father and cleaves to her husband. And likewise the husband does the same. We are one with Jesus. He is the head, we are the body. Marriage points to Christ. And I think part of the purpose of marriage is to help us understand our relationship with Jesus.
But marriage in itself is an earthly institution. Humans are imperfect and sometimes our fallen sinful natures get in the way. Our marriages are often not perfect. Sometimes they even fail. And sometimes we, as parents, can feel like failures as we watch our kids choose the wrong paths. But the beautiful love story of Jesus and His Bride is perfect. His covenant with us is everlasting. And God's love for His children never fails. He is faithful even we're not -- always waiting with outstretched arms to welcome us home.
Repentance: An Unlikely Love Story
2 Peter 3:9
"My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins."
James 5:19-20
Reading the Gospels is a great way to learn about love. Jesus lived a life of love and compassion. He cared for the least and was not ashamed of sinners. Everything He did and said was motivated by love. But most of His messages were about the "the Kingdom of God" and repentance. Why? Because He loves us. Because "repentance leads to salvation (eternal life)" 2 Corinthians 7:10. The Greek definition of the word repentance is to "perceive afterwards, implying a change." In other words, it's coming to a realization of your sin and changing, turning the other way. The Webster dictionary says it's to have remorse for something and turning around completely. Jesus took time to heal and help and deliver people, then told them to repent. Repentance is not a fun word. Tough love is just that. Tough. Whether you're giving it or receiving it. Nobody likes to be told to change. But sometimes we need a wake up call to turn the other way. Correction hurts, but it's a necessary part of love. If your kid keeps running out into a busy street, don't you warn them? If they keep doing it, don't you yell for them to stop? Don't you discipline them if they don't listen? Why? Because you love them. Because you don't want them to get hurt. Jesus tells us to repent because He loves us and wants us to be part of His kingdom. And He doesn't want us to spend our time on earth in bondage to sin. Just like mercy, just like grace, repentance is a gift. A second chance. A way out of a hopeless mess. A ticket to freedom. It's love. Don't misunderstand me. None of us can ever not sin. And we shouldn't feel constantly guilty for our sinful nature. But we all do need to come to that realization of our sin -- and to an understanding that we are in need of a Savior. Are you in a mess right now? Repent. Turn around. Ask Jesus to help you. You are never too far away for Him to find you. None of your sins are too great to be forgiven. Jesus already knows the worst thing you've ever done. He knew it before the cross and still said "yes, I will die for them." Jesus loves you.
Now I'd like to interject a couple of my own love stories. I have lots of stories as I have been blessed to have had a lot of love in my life. But these are not your typical love stories. I wanted to share them though, in case they might help or inspire you.
A Tale of Two Ladies: A Love Story
"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him." 2 Corinthians 4:17, James 1:12
As humans, we have an incredible capacity to be prideful, selfish, even hateful at times. We see the ugly side of humanity every day. Everywhere we look there is evidence of sin. My grandmother saw the ugliest side of life first hand. She endured hardships of almost every kind. But instead of becoming bitter or hating back, she loved. She spent her time volunteering at a local ministry. All that she had she gave away. I know that her love for others is what gave her strength to endure. I believe that's how God designed us -- to heal by loving others. How very smart our creator is! Are you hurting? Help someone else, it will heal your heart.
I never knew how hard my grandmother had it until just recently. She kept it to herself, probably wanting to shelter us from the truth. I remember the good things, like her kissing my cheek and whispering in my ear that I was her angel. She used to make us homemade knick knacks and give us bags of things she collected from her outreaches -- stuff people had donated. As a kid I sometimes thought the mix of odds and ends she gave us were strange. Now they're treasures as I know they were tokens of her love. I remember her standing on the front porch with tears in her eyes, waving goodbye as we drove away from one of our visits. Her love was real.
My grandmother passed away a couple years ago. And once again she had to face the ugliness of humanity as she was abandoned by almost everyone she loved. Accept for a few. Mostly my mom who put her life on hold. She drove several hours almost every day for months --just so my grandmother wouldn't have to be alone. I know how difficult that was for my mom to watch her own mother slowly slip away. She was the one to gently lead my grandmother from this life to the next. But she also got to see her mom's pain fade away into a smile as she stepped into eternity. What a gift. I often wonder who she saw that made her smile so. Probably Jesus. My mom continues to walk in love towards others despite difficult situations. My mom can be quiet and not always one to talk about her faith. Rather, she lives it. I'm proud of her. Loving when it's the hardest, when it hurts the most, when it's the least convenient is a powerful witness. Maybe as humans we can be and see lots of ugly things. But love gives us the ability to triumph over evil, to endure, persevere, and forgive.
I have new image of my grandmother -- still on a front porch. A heavenly one this time. She's beautiful. Wearing a crown of glory given to her for the suffering she endured and goodness she showed. There's no tears this time though. Jesus has wiped them all away. She's smiling, peacefully and patiently waiting for the rest of us to meet her there. Are you suffering? Does it seem like things in life don't seem fair? Don't lose hope. God will make things right for you one day. Love endures and prevails.
A Church Story: A Call to Love
"Above all, love each other deeply. Especially those who belong to the family of believers."
1 Peter 4:8, Galatians 6:2
This is a personal story of discovering my call to a life of love. I am a child of God and I know I'm deeply loved by Him. And it's definitely important to have an individual relationship with the Lord. But I'm also part of something much bigger than just myself. I am part of the body of Christ, part of His Church. I believe one of the most effective ways for Jesus to show His love to us is through His body -- through us loving each other. I don't think I fully understood this until fairly recently. Sometimes it takes an experience for us to really learn something.
It all started with my prayers for a girl. Well, when I knew her from my childhood church she was just a girl, but she had since grown up and was now very sick. So I prayed. I have been praying for people my whole life. That's what we do. We pray for anyone who needs or asks. Even strangers. Naturally, some prayers are more emotional than others. Sometimes your heart becomes more involved. This was one of those times for me. So I pleaded with God on her behalf. I cried. I added her to every prayer request list I could think of. I wanted her to recover. Not for any selfish reasons, but just simply because I loved her. I hurt for her because she is part of the same body I'm part of. God did not answer my prayers the way I thought He would. I was heartbroken. I didn't understand, so I questioned God. And He answered. God's ways are higher than mine. But the good news is, if you know Christ, moving on to heaven is a promotion. I grieved deeply for her family though, for I loved them too. The scripture, "weep with those who weep" became real to me. I felt their loss. Her parents are special to me, as we spent many years at church together. But it had been many more years since I had last spoken them. Time just goes by. Churches split. People grow apart. I moved away and didn't stay in touch. After their daughter's passing, I wanted to reach out to them, but I was scared. Scared too much time had passed, that they wouldn't remember me, or worse that I had hurt them in some way. Scared they wouldn't want to talk. But my fears were unfounded as I was met with only kindness. The chasm I thought was between us, wasn't. Not anymore at least. Because love covers and bridges and mends. My intention was to offer them comfort, but I'm pretty sure it was their kindness that healed my own heart. Now they are my dear friends, and I feel blessed to have been able to witness their faith.
I don't know how or why God chooses to use certain situations to teach us things. But He does. God has used this experience of praying for that sweet girl and reaching out to her parents to teach me about love. Love for the Church and how we as believers are supposed to care for one another. I was a little surprised by my love and grief for this childhood friend. I felt a little out of sorts for awhile -- not knowing how to deal with what I was feeling. Her own dad offered me words of comfort and reminded me of God's love. He is someone who taught me about faith as a kid. Now, twenty years later, he is still teaching me. This time through actually being a witness and a friend. I think I might be learning even more from him now than I did then. What we do when trial comes, what we say, our kindness, our testimonies, are important and powerful.
I have realized through all this just how fragile life is. And I've been reminded that I have just one chance to live a life of love. So the last couple of years I have been reaching out to others: mentors and teachers and friends. Some of them from that same childhood church -- one we all left years ago. It always felt like something I lost and couldn't get back again. But as I reconnected with old friends, in my mind and in my spirit I could see walls crumbling. In a good way. I feel like God was showing me what "Church" really is. It's not a building. It's not a denomination or doctrine or theology or tradition. It's not one man or one church or one ministry out for himself. The Church is exactly what I was experiencing: friendship, comfort, forgiveness, fellowship -- love. The Church is not something I can lose because it's something that's within us. It's who we are. The Church is people. Weeping and rejoicing with one another. Brothers and sisters in Christ. You and me and them and Christians halfway across the world. We are a family. We are a people connected by His spirit, and together we form a living entity, a body. It's a mystery, one that I'm happy to be a part of. We might all have differences between us, but we have one common denominator: Jesus. And He has commanded us to love.
For as long as I can remember I have wanted to love people and do something for God. It always just seemed too overwhelming to figure out where to start. I have learned that it starts with one step of faith. For me it started with loving and taking care of the people God has already put in my life. It might seem like small task. But nothing is small if you're helping someone else. The thing is, everyone I reconnected with felt sort of the same way -- happy to be reunited. Wondering where the time went and how we got too busy. Thankful. Whether we're new friends or old friends or actual family, there's something unique about being part of the family of God. There's genuine love between us. The bond we have is special. You can feel it. It's tangible. I believe it's God's love flowing through each one of us. As 1 John 4:12 says, "if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us." But I'm learning there's also a common thing that keeps us separated, keeps us from reaching out-- fear. We're often scared of rejection, or not being understood, or feeling foolish. It sounds silly, but those are real fears for a lot of us. Is there someone in your life you want to talk to, thank, or even forgive? Are you scared? Pray about it, see where God is leading you, and be brave. Perfect love casts out all fear. And if you feel a tug in your heart to do something for God, just start with something little and see where He leads you. Life with God is an adventure.
I've spent the last year or so trying to learn about love and live it. And I have learned just as much about the Church along the way. I think because love is who we are. And loving each other is one of our highest callings. Are we supposed to evangelize and be a light and be kind to people who don't know Christ? Absolutely! But we can't forget about each other. A lot more Christians are suffering and feel forsaken than we realize. And we need to take care of our own. We are called to carry one another and care for the least. The Church is a family. We were never meant to feel alone, or be divided, gossiping, fighting, or even unforgiving. Walls are not supposed to be between us. Churches are not supposed to split and be wounded by one another. Rather, we are meant to love. I know we're all still human and we'll make mistakes. But we can forgive. And we can try to love our church family the way the New Testament tells us to:
"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Encourage one another and build each other up. Honor one another above yourselves. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Carry each other’s burdens. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Be like-minded and sympathetic. Use every opportunity to do good. Each of us should use whatever gift we have received to serve others. Honor and acknowledge those who are over you in the Lord. Since as members of one body we are called to live in peace with one another. Be thankful. Spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Do not give up meeting together. Be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Above all, be devoted to one another and love each other deeply. Love is virtue that binds us all together in perfect unity."
Romans 12:10-15, Galatians 6:2-10, Ephesians 4:32 & 6:18, Colossians 3:12-15, 1 Thessalonians 5:11-14, Hebrews 10:24-25, 1 Peter 3:8 & 4:8-10
If that sounds difficult, it is. At least it is without God's help. Loving from a pure heart, with the right motives, without wanting recognition or anything in return, is not easy. That's why we must love God first. Abide in Him. We love because He first loved us. If we seek Him and read His Word daily, then His love can flow freely through us to others. The more we are filled with God's love, the more we naturally produce the spiritual fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. This kind of love is what makes us so beautiful. Love is our best witness and what makes our light the brightest. Love is what sets us apart. It's what makes the world in darkness, the lonely, and searching, and hurting, say to themselves, "I want what they have! I want to be part of that family!" Are you part of the family yet? You can be. You're welcome. We're all adopted. None of us are perfect. Ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior. Confess it with your mouth and believe it in your heart. And that's it, you're in. You're saved. You're family. You're loved.
In Conclusion
I know my little blog post can't begin to convey the greatness of God's love or the importance of our love for one another. But I have to try because God's love is the greatest thing in the world. It protects and strengthens. His love is patient and gentle and forgiving. God's love restores and rescues and redeems. It breaks chains and defeats death. His love is unconditional and everlasting. Do you wonder if God loves you? He does. He's the one who created you. The father who knows the worst thing you ever did and is still waiting with open arms. He's the shepherd who will leave the 99 to find you. He's the Lamb who sacrificed His own life -- for you. His grace and love are free gifts to those who choose to accept them.
One day God will walk with all of His family once again, just like He wanted from the beginning. Until then we have His word and His spirit. We have each other. We have faith and hope. And most of all we have love.
The End of the Love Story
There isn't one. This story doesn't end. The love never stops. No one ever ceases to exist. The Church, the Bride of Christ, continues on "so that in the coming ages God might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:7. If that sounds pretty awesome, it is.
"The greatest thing a man can do for his heavenly Father is to be kind to some of His other children. I wonder why it is that we are not kinder than we are. How much the world needs it. How easily it is done. How instantaneously it acts. How infallible it is remembered. How superabandantly it pays itself back--for there is no debtor in the world so honorable as love. Love never faileth. Love is success; love is happiness; love is life; love is the energy of life. Where love is, God is. He that dwelleth in love dwelleth with God. God IS love. Therefore, -- LOVE. Without distinction, without calculation, without procrastination -- LOVE. Lavish it on the poor, where it is easy; on the rich who often need it the most; but most of all your friends! I will pass through this world but once. Any good thing I can do, any kindness I can show, let me do it. Let me not defer it or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again. "
"But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Romans 5:8
"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!"
1 John 3:1
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:38-39
"Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law."
Romans 13:8
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:34-35
"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends."
John 15:12-13
"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us."
1 John 4:18-19
"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them."
1 John 4:16
"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters."
1 John 3:16
"Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
John 14:21
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you"
Luke 6:27
"Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs."
Proverbs 10:12
"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity."
Proverbs 17:17
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
1 Corinthians 13:13
