What's Love Got To Do With It?
The word “love” is in the Bible hundreds of times depending on the translation. King James is 310. The New Living Translation is 801. God must have thought this a very important word if it is in the bible that much. So, what does He say exactly? (I did not go through and read each verse, but I am sure that God covered “love” from the physical kind to the friendship kind and everything in between, and how we should live our lives in each area.)
We have read most of these or heard them preached, like “John 13:34: "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; even as I have loved you, that ye also love one another".
In this one, Jesus is not making a suggestion because it would be nice if we loved one another, He is making a commandment! DO THIS!!
Proverbs 19:17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward
Isaiah 1:17. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.
Proverbs 14:31. Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.
Luke 6:35-36 “But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
MANY verses on taking care of people with needs. We try to do that. Our church is wonderful at filling needs as we see them. We show God’s love by helping those in need and it glorifies God. These are love in action.
Now, the tough one. Love is not a choice. We hear it all the time. “I fell in love with him.” “I fell out of love with him”. This is emotion, not love. “Follow your heart”. But wait! The bible says the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick! DON’T follow your heart! Instead, follow the bible! Do all the selfless things the bible tells us to do to demonstrate love. We are not by nature selfless. We are sinful and self-absorbed.
How fulfilling is it to “love” someone. To give to them our best, whether it is acts of service or gifts. If you are not “feeling it”, ask God for help. Many years ago there was a woman at church that I had a hard time being around. She was abrasive and obnoxious. (I’m just telling you how I felt, have you ever felt the same?) I knew I couldn’t just go on feeling like this about her because I was on committees with her and would be working with her. So, I asked God to help me get over this negative feeling I had towards her. (I knew that wasn’t going to happen on my own!) Just like everything else God gives me when I ask, He was incredibly faithful and now we are friends. He gives so abundantly, so freely and overflowing! Love isn’t easy. Life isn’t easy. But God is amazing! Lord, Thank you for the gift of love, whether it is friendship, marriage, parental, our children, it is all a blessing. Help us to nourish our relationships with prayer. Amen
Shirlene Peterson