Do you often think about love?
I do.
I wonder what it really looks like. I wonder if many people know real love. I wonder why it can be so difficult to give and receive. I wonder why the world gets it wrong, so often.
What is love? Real love.
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 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. You are my friends if you do what I command.” John 15:9-14
From these verses it appears that true love is tethered to obedience to Christ. And interestingly, we also find joy and love, hand in hand. We remain in His love so our joy may be complete.
Love isn’t found apart from God, rather it’s found in Him…as we also remember these verses…
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:7-8
God is love.
This makes me pause and really question those who insist God doesn’t exist, or if He does, He shouldn’t be trusted. If God is love, then how can a person who doesn’t believe in Him know love at all? One thing I’ve noticed is that nobody likes to tell believers what our love should look like, more than those who claim not to believe in God at all.
Worldly love is a demand. Worldly love is self-serving. Worldly love is conditional upon getting one’s way. Worldly love insists that to be loved or loving you must agree with that person, no matter what.
That’s simply not true.
If God is love, as scripture states, then I suppose we should look at God for the answer. What is He like? How does He show love to us?
His love challenges us. As we read earlier this week, He allows trials so we can be complete. His love is joyful. We read above that when we are in His love then His joy is in us. His love is sacrificial. We also read above that the greatest love lays down it’s life for a friend. Yesterday we read that we share the truth in love. Love is honest, not harsh, but truthful.
The “love” the world offers is like a black hole of ambiguity. God’s love is concrete. Solid, if you will. Something you can rely on. It doesn’t change. It never fails.
I encourage you to meditate on the following verses today…and forevermore. When you have a question as to what love should look like in any given situation, think about these words…
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 13:4-8a
365 Days in the Presence 