Today is St Valentine’s Day. I wrote about the history and meaning of it in this post: Happy Valentine’s Day! St Valentine’s Day is all about love. But what is love?
It seems this is an important question, which has been asked for many years, and continues to be asked today. It has inspired countless books, poems and songs. Interestingly, God has a lot to say in answer to the question, “What is love?”
Recently, I listened to a sermon on love, by Pastor Mark Blackwell, from Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Toowoomba.
Pastor Mark spoke about the different types of love, including his love of chocolate, which is very different to his love for his wife and family. When God speaks about love, it is agape love.
“‘Agape’ is one of several Greek words for love. When the word “agape” is used in the Bible, it refers to a pure, wilful, sacrificial love that intentionally desires another’s highest good.” What does agape love really mean in the Bible?
What does love look like?
In his children’s address, Pastor Mark asked, “What does love look like?” He showed pictures of love in action – a person comforting and supporting a friend. Someone saying, “I’m sorry,” and someone saying, “I forgive you.” He showed a warning sign, and explained that love can be shown by warning people before they do something they would regret, or which would end badly. He showed a picture of a Valentine’s Day heart. He showed a picture of three crosses on a hill, and explained that this was the greatest love of all – God sending Jesus to die for our sin.
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.
John 3:16 (NIV)
The sermon Bible reading was one that you have probably heard before, perhaps at a wedding:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour 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 (NIV)
This agape love is the love God calls us to show one another, at all times, not just when the other person is easy to love.
The opposite of love is hate. Pastor Mark flipped the passage to see what hate looks like:
“Hatred is impatient. Hatred is mean. Hatred is filled with envy and covets and wants what it doesn’t have. Hatred boasts in self-pride. Hatred dishonours and hurts others. Hatred is self-seeking. Hatred is easily angered. Hatred keeps a record of wrongs, and dredges it up at every chance it can get. Hatred delights in evil and the downfall of others. Hatred stretches the truth. Hatred always attacks, always distrusts. Hatred always despairs. It always quits. Hate always fails.”
God says He is love
God is love.
1 John 4:8 (NIV)
God explains what love is:
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
1 John 4:10-11 (NIV)
Pastor Mark asked, “What does God’s love look like?” God has said that He is love, so Pastor Mark read the passage again: “God is patient. God is kind. God does not envy. God does not boast. God is not proud. God does not dishonour others. God is not self-seeking. God is not easily angered. God keeps no record of your wrongs. God does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. God always protects. God always trusts. God always hopes. God always perseveres. God never fails.”
God’s perfect, sacrificial, undeserved love is for you and me TODAY.
In love, God forgives us. He strengthens us to live a holy life, as He has called us to live. Go in peace and love one another.
Prayer:
Thank you for your great and abundant agape love for us. We thank you for the great love you show us through Jesus, who died to pay the price for our sin. Help us to love one another as You love us. Help us to forgive one another. Help us to say sorry when we have done wrong. Help us to forgive others, just as you have forgiven us.
What about you?
How do you show love to the people close to you?
What do you think when God says that He is love?
What are your thoughts about God loving you?
What do you think of loving others (even your enemies) in the same way that God loves you?