The concept of what love is has been around for centuries. Some of us just celebrated Valentine’s Day with the ones we love. But what is love? Is it the love we have for our partners, the love we have for our friends, the love we have for our pets or the love some of us have for food? Yes -it can be all of those things only maybe not food. All these types of love have one thing in common and that is what can I get out of it? More a “me” love. But God’s concept of love is not me and my needs but others and their needs.
1 Corinthians 13 is the most famous love chapter in the Bible and is often used in the wedding vows. Let’ take a close look at some of it.
” Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance.” Message Bible.
This does not sound like a me love but a you love. You see whenever we give out this kind of love, it always returns to us. This is the kind of love God has for us. Some have said that since God is love, we just need to swap God in the verses where love is and we will see what God is really like. Just do that now and read it aloud. Do you see it?
Just a thought – nowhere does it read that God is bad because God is always a good God. That verse proves just how much He wants to pour that love out on us. That verse tells us what God really thinks of us. Good and not bad. We are His children and just like our own children we love them through it all. However, sometimes we may not like what they do but we always love them and God is the same. He always loves us, He just might not like what we do. But God gives us a solution. Ask for forgiveness and He will forgive because He never remembers our sins again.
So what is God’s definition of love. We have just read it. The most amazing part is that God has empowered us to walk in that same kind of love towards those around us. When we read that verse above, it seems difficult but remember what I just said – God empowers us. We can never love like that in our own strength – it is only through God. That does not give you an out if you don’t want to walk in love that way. You need to make a choice whether you want God’s best for your life. I do and if that means letting God change my life so I can walk in love, then that is what I will do. All you have to do is ask!!!
This week, talk to God about how you can walk in love better and just do it! I love the journey God takes us on. Have a blessed week and remember the definition of love.
Living the life God intended 