The world's version of love is not real love in most cases. Sometimes the love that the world describes is perversion or some kind of shallow self centered version of love. True love is giving of one's self. True love goes beyond warm and fuzzy feelings, although they do play a part at times.
In order for us to understand what rue love is we must first look to the Lord our God. It was because God loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into this world on a rescue mission to save people from their sins. We all remember John 3:16 which says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."
We can read I Corinthians 13, which we know as the love chapter, to get a better grip on the true meaning of love. Love is patient and it is kind. Love doesn't delight in wrong things or even in evil things. Love protects. Love rejoices in the truth. Love never keeps records of wrongs. Love perseveres. Love never fails.
When we think of love our minds should go to a hill just outside of Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified on a cruel Roman Cross. God showed each one of us His great love by sending Jesus to die for our sins and not just our sins, but the sins of the entire world. We have all sinned and we have all fallen short of God's standards. God demonstrated His love toward us by sending Jesus Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
God raised Jesus from the dead and He is at the right hand of the Father interceding for us in prayer. One day the Lord Jesus will return and fully establish the Kingdom of God upon the earth. We must come to faith in Jesus Christ in order for us to be saved. We are saved by the grace of Jesus Christ, but we must receive Him as our Lord and Savior by placing our faith in His finished work on the Cross.
If you don't know or never heard let me tell you that God loves you and He is crazy about you. He knows you better that you know yourself and despite all of that He loves you deeply. I am thankful that the Lord loves me even though there are perhaps many times when I am just hard to love for one reason or another.
I am reminded of Psalm 136 which says,
"1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever.
4 to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever.
5 who by his understanding made the heavens, His love endures forever.
6 who spread out the earth upon the waters, His love endures forever.
7 who made the great lights— His love endures forever.
8 the sun to govern the day, His love endures forever.
9 the moon and stars to govern the night; His love endures forever.
10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt His love endures forever.
11 and brought Israel out from among them His love endures forever.
12 with a mighty hand and outstretched arm; His love endures forever.
13 to him who divided the Red Seaa asunder His love endures forever.
14 and brought Israel through the midst of it, His love endures forever.
15 but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea; His love endures forever.
16 to him who led his people through the wilderness; His love endures forever.
17 to him who struck down great kings, His love endures forever.
18 and killed mighty kings— His love endures forever.
19 Sihon king of the Amorites His love endures forever.
20 and Og king of Bashan— His love endures forever.
21 and gave their land as an inheritance, His love endures forever.
22 an inheritance to his servant Israel. His love endures forever.
23 He remembered us in our low estate His love endures forever.
24 and freed us from our enemies. His love endures forever.
25 He gives food to every creature. His love endures forever.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever."
When we look and see all of the anger all around us we must remind ourselves about our Awesome God. He has done great things for us. He is still doing great things for us each and every moment of each and everyday. God is so very good to us, but sometimes we fail to see what exactly He is doing.
We need to be more thankful for all the Lord is doing for us and know that His love for us endures forever. He loves us and wants to have a deep relationship with us. The good news is we can experience this relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. We can have reconciliation to God through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Let us be thankful for the Lord's love toward us and let us love each other as He loves us. Let's love our neighbors as ourselves and tell them about love that God has for them by telling them about Jesus.
Lord,
Thank You for showing us what love is.
Help us to love You more and help us to love others as You so greatly love us.
Help us not to be bitter and anger, but help us to put on love for Your glory.
Lead us and guide us by Your Holy Spirit.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.
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