What does love mean to you? Is it the emotional, affectionate love that brings couples together? Is it the love that you feel for a family member? Is it the camaraderie feeling you have with friends? Have you considered that love is more than these?
We talk of puppy love, love at first sight, and love for one another. Many of those are based on attraction, whether physical, emotional, or intellectual. We often do not consider love being any more than that. But should we?
When Jesus talks about love, He often uses the word that we define as unconditional love. He speaks of loving our enemies. He tells us that we are to love one another. We are to talk to one another with love. He does not speak of an emotional love but a love that is committed regardless of the circumstances.
The Apostle Paul writes to the church in Corinth about love in 1 Corinthians 13. He says that love is the greatest of faith, hope, and love. But he also says that love never ends. How are we to interpret that? First, God’s love for us never ends. It is his love for us that was the genesis of him sending his Son to be our Savior.
When Paul says love never ends, he is also encouraging us to have the same love for God and for one another that God has for us. That means that everything we do should be done with love. Our love is to be demonstrated in our speech, our behavior, and our actions. When it is, we show everyone around us the love of God.
I pray we all know that God always loves us. I pray we respond to God with the same kind of love. I pray each one of us loves one another with the love of Jesus Christ. God loves you. Love God with your whole heart. Love as Jesus loves. Love one another. Show your love with actions.
1 Corinthians 13:8 Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end.
Marty Pressey 