How would you define love? What is love?
I believe, love is the essence of life.
We all want to be loved and every young guy or girl wants to fall in love. While falling in love can be absolutely amazing, love is more than a feeling; love is a choice.
With love we can build great friendships, with love we can reconcile relationships and with love we can provide great service at our businesses. Love is the foundation of every great marriage and good parents choose to love their kids no matter what.
Years ago, I had a chance to have lunch with two pastors who were working as missionaries in Japan. I remember one of them saying “In seminary it’s not what you learn, but who do you learn to love”.
Bible tells us that “God is love” (1 Jn. 4:7) and when Jesus was asked which is the most important commandment in the law he said:
“ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ c 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ d 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Mt 22:37–40 (BSB)
Love is more important than knowledge
Knowing the Bible more deeply is important but, there is something more important than knowledge. Apostle Paul used to persecute Christians but ones he met Jesus, his life completely changed. The man who used to persecute became the man who wrote the famous chapter on love, the 1 Corinthians 13.
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
1 Cor. 13:2 (BSB)
Being highly educated or knowing in detail what the Bible says is great but only when that knowledge is combined with love. The big question is, is my faith changing me to be more loving?
God helps us to love
One of the encouraging promises in the Bible is:
For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.
Philippians 2:13 (BSB)
Some years ago, we were going through an exceedingly difficult time in our marriage, and I was thinking if I should move out. While I was thinking and praying suddenly the words “Just love her” came and I knew it was God. I broke down in tears.
I believe that was a turning point for us and now our marriage is so much better! I believe God helps us in our weakness, and he helps us to love even when we don’t feel like it.
What is love?
There are many definitions of love but here are a few passages about love from the Bible.
Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
9 This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only c Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. 10 And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice d for our sins.
1 John 4:7–10 (BSB)
Jesus said:
12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
14 You are My friends if you do what I command you.
John 15:12–14 (BSB)
Paul writes in 1st Corinthians. 13.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. 6 Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Corinthians 13:4–7 (BSB)
If my faith is making me more proud or judgmental then something is wrong but if your faith is making you kinder and more compassionate toward others, then I believe you are on the right track!
The 1 John 4:7-10 above, reminds us that love is a key. I believe that God is always ready to welcome a prodigal son or daughter back home and if you are far from God today, today is your chance to turn back to him; Jesus died to take away our sins. If you would like to turn back to God, please pray a simple prayer asking him to forgive your sins, come into your life and help you to love him and follow him the rest of your life. You can see a sample prayer here.
While we are saved through faith, we need to expect that our lives are growing more loving as we grow in our faith. While being saved or made right with God is a one-time event, the process of spiritual growth, growing in love and becoming more like Jesus is a lifelong process.
If we have given our lives to Jesus, but do not see growth in love, joy or peace, it could be that we sincerely turned back to God but then we didn’t stay connected to Jesus or that we didn’t have a good spiritual home or family that could help us grow. If this is you, we would love to help you to grow in your faith and find a spiritual home. Please click here to contact us.
Questions & Applications
- How could you show love toward God this week?
- Is there someone you can help or encourage?
- How well are you taking care of yourself?
When we talk about loving ourselves it may sound selfish, but we need to take good care of ourselves physically, mentally and spiritually. When we do, we can stay healthier, have more energy, be more patient and this in turn will help us to serve others and love our families better.
Action Steps:
- You could pray to God and ask his help to grow in love toward him and toward people in your life.
- Please read the 1st Corinthians 13:4–7 again and choose one of the characteristics of love you would like to focus on this week.
- Is there someone you need to forgive, or do you need to ask for forgiveness?
Thank you so much for reading!
I know life can be tough and sometimes what we need is some extra encouragement. I would like to invite you into a small group! To join a group please contact us here.
Text by Micah
Scripture quotations marked (BSB) are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.