Why I Love Love

Poets have written sonnets describing it, singers have emoted about, lovers have tossed around the word to describe their overwhelming passion, but all the creativity in the world could not begin to explain the meaning or power of love.  What would you say if someone told you that love is the key to achieving a meaningful, satisfying, and power-packed life? 

 The love I’m referring to is not an emotionally dependent, or sexually charged concept, but the very nature of the One True God that created you, and wants to reveal Himself to you.  The love of God is so unique and so different from our understanding of sexual love, or brotherly love that a different word is used in scripture to describe this kind of love.  The root word for sensual love is “Eros”, from which we get the word “erotic”.  The root word for friendly love is “Phileo” from which we get the word “Philadelphia”, known as the “City of Brotherly Love”.  But the word used often to describe God’s love is the Greek word, Agape (pronounced uh-ga’-pay) and it is defined as an attitude resulting from a conscious choice.  This love is not determined by feelings or emotions.  It is not the kind of love of which you fall in or out.  Many marriages end in brokenness because people put such an emphasis on whether or not they feel love toward their spouse.  When the feeling wanes, there is no more love, and the relationship is over.  The love that God demonstrates for us is a conscious choice.  It is a willful act toward humanity, not based on our worthiness, or emotional merit.   

It was love that motivated God to create humanity.  It was love that motivated God to send a Savior.  It is love that is the foundation for all God’s commandments.  It is love that Jesus Christ commanded of His followers.  And it is love that should define and identify true believers.*

I've heard critics say "you're going to love people right into Hell."  Let's be clear:  the message of Love is not "do whatever you feel."  God's love corrected Adam and Eve for their rebellion.  God's love condemned Satan for corrupting His creation.  God's love sent prophets to His people when they wouldn't listen.  God's love took our place when we were the ones who deserved judgment.  

I'm sorry, did you just yawn?  Do your eyes glaze over when you read of God's love?  Are you a Christian that craves more "spiritual solid food?"  Read Ephesians 3:17-19  17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. **

There you have it;  you can't get deeper than the love of Christ.  If this message doesn't thrill you, check your heart.  You might consider me and romantic, but I've always been a sucker for a good love story.  That's why I love love. 

*Excerpt from "A Better Way" by Sammy & Shannon Pawlak (c) 2010

**Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible : New Living Translation. (3rd ed.) (Eph 3:17–19). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.