Love (noun)
Here are 4 of the many definitions from dictionary.com...
1. a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.
2. a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.
3. sexual passion or desire.
4. a person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart.
Love is one of those words that has lost its meaning in our culture. We say we love God. We love our spouse. We love our children. We love our country. But then we turn around and say... "I love my car" or "I love my house" or "I love cheeseburgers". The English language is not very descriptive when it comes to love.
When the Bible speaks about God's love, it's an agape love. Agape love seeks the others' highest good. God loves you with an everlasting agape love. His gift to you is available on Valentine's day and all year long.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
Here's what Jesus had to say about His love for you.
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13
That's exactly what Jesus did for you. He would rather die than to be without you.
Paul gave us a detailed list of what agape love looks like in practical terms.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, 13
God loves you and He pursues you. He desires to initiate a relationship with you. A relationship with God is not possible by doing good deeds but only through your acceptance of the sacrifice Jesus made on your behalf.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
