1John 4:8(NLT) tells us, “But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” As we look at the world around us, it is very easy to conclude that there are many people who do not love. The world is a very chaotic place, and if we need any proof of this, all we need to do is listen to the news. There is chaos all around us, and we know that chaos does not come from God. He tells us in 1Corinthians 14:33 that He is not the author of confusion, but of peace and order. God is love! Everything He does is because of His great love. Nothing He does is born out of wrath or hatred, for if it were, the whole human race would have been cancelled out long ago. In less time than the blink of an eye, it is perfectly within God’s power to wipe out every trace of human existence and make it look as if we were not even a thought. He could have done this once Adam and Eve made a mess of things in the Garden of Eden, but He show us an extreme amount of mercy and grace. He kept us around, and it is very important for us to know why.
His love of order is blatantly apparent in the way He set up all living things. Everything is produced after its own kind. Chickens produce baby chickens or biddies. Birds produce birds. Monkeys produce monkeys, and fish produce fish. These living beings are all wonderfully made by our Heavenly Father, but He wanted children and He chose humans, spiritual beings housed in a body. He wanted a family, and to this end, He created and made us in His own image. Romans 8:29(NLT) tells us, “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” God created our spirits, formed our bodies from the dust of the earth, and then breathed into us the breath of life. He is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Godhead bodily, and likewise we are three parts; spirit, soul, and body. He made us in such a way that we are uniquely able to communicate, fellowship, and maintain a relationship with Him in a way that is mutually beneficial and holy. We do this by love.
This is not the ooey, gooey love that most of us associate with romantic feelings. Although these feelings are nice, in and of themselves they are not enough to hold a relationship together. Because we are God’s children, made in His image, we must come to the realization that our love must be so much deeper. We must love with the love of Christ. The big deal about learning to love through the love of Christ has everything to do with our identity and purpose. A person can only live as high as they will love. Our destiny is to love like Christ, and we will not experience life in its truest sense, which is life in the Spirit, unless we surrender to the love of God in Christ every moment of every day.
A friend of mine was having a tough time with his dad. They have always had a rocky relationship and as soon as my friend was old enough, he left home. Now that they are both a lot older, and his dad is having health challenges, my friend said he’d like to be there for his father. The trouble is the resentment he feels about how his dad treated him all those years ago. He said it is easier to just stay away, but he doesn’t feel right about doing that either. Ephesians 3:19 tells us that the love of Christ surpasses knowledge. It exceeds the information we remember about past harms and hurts. 1Corinithans 13:4-5(NLT) tells us how the love of Christ behaves. It says, “4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.”
It is easy to love people that are lovable and nice. It is easy to love those who love us, but Christ commands us to stretch far beyond those boundaries. Dealing with hurtful situations and the people that have caused them can be an uncomfortable space, but as believers, we must pray and ask for God’s help and guidance.
We should not drop the ball and walk away, letting old wounds continue to hide in our souls in resentment and fear. We must surrender and God tells us how. He tells us in Ephesians 3:16 that we must not depend on ourselves alone. We need His help because His resources are glorious and unlimited. Through His glorious and unlimited resources, He will empower us! He’ll give us inner strength through the Holy Spirit that indwells us. As we surrender to the Holy Spirit, and allow him to work in our souls, Ephesians 3:17 says that Christ will make himself cozy and comfy in our hearts. And something else miraculous will happen; our roots will grow down into God’s love, and this is what will continue to keep us strong.
When it comes to the example of Christ, the love thing is nothing to be taken lightly. It is the very foundation of who and what God has made us. Sometimes our lives will come to a complete halt. Nothing will go right, and things will not run smoothly because we’re out of place. According to where we are on the journey, God’s love should be rooted much deeper in us, and when we miss the mark, life will outpace us. Heavenly Father doesn’t want this to happen to any of His children. This is why He tells us in Ephesians 3:19 to experience the love of Christ. To learn about it and grow in it, so that our lives will be full and complete. Then we will live powerfully in the Spirit of God as we walk in the fullness of His love. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“What’s the Big Deal About Love?”, written for victoryinjesuschrist.life© 2019. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
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