Love: affection for a person or an object.
There are many different attributes we could apply to the word love and most be appropriate. However, when we examine the word love from God’s Point of view, we get a very different picture of what love is. Love is the foundation of our faith in Jesus Christ. God loved the entire world so much He sent His Son to pay the penalty, the ransom, for all our sin.
16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
It can be very difficult to grasp God’s generosity in giving His Son for us. God’s Word speaks about His love very powerfully.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
Because of God, we have the ability to love. Love is not natural to us. We were born into a world of sin and sin is all we knew until we have a face to face encounter with Christ. Before Christ, love is selfish and conditional and a feel good high that never lasts. But through Christ we come to understand what love truly is.
34 “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35
Jesus calls us to love one another and by doing so, others will know we follow Him by our love.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, 5 is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. 6 Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Paul teaches us that love is patient and kind. Love is not selfish, proud, dishonoring, or rude.
14 Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Colossians 3:14
He teaches us that love is what binds everything in perfect unity.
How do we live this out?
OUr calling to love others comes straight from Jesus Himself. Love is best demonstrated in our relationships. Love is not a do whatever feels right in the moment kind if love. Love is not an emotion. Love is an action. Truly loving others can be uncomfortable at times because it scratches against our selfish human nature.
Love seeks to build bridges, chooses to honor others, and shows respect for all people regardless of differing viewpoints. We most beautifully represent Jesus when we love people. Love is a selfless act that the world witnesses and will see a Savior who is worth following. God works His love through us. We can not love without Him. When He works His perfect love through us, it is perfect and not defiled by the world or any human desire.
What do I do when my love is low?
Choose to love. Love is an action we decide to do or not do. It is not a feeling that comes and goes. You are not in love one moment and then fall out of love. No, we chose to love always or not at all. So often we hear in relationships that have fallen apart, I just do not love that person anymore. This is a lie. That person is choosing to not love because the other person is no longer filling their selfish quid pro quo. Their sense of love is that to get my love you have to do something for me. This is not the type of love God fills us with. Love is an action and it is given freely without hesitation or conditions.
When we feel depleted of love, the best action is to remember all that God has done for us. We need to renew our heart with a spirit of gratitude in thanksgiving that the Lord our God love us. Choosing to love, even when you do not feel like loving, actually increases and fills your heart back up. Choosing to love will lead to us loving others.
Love is a choice. Not a feeling.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
13 Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love—but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13
14 Do everything in love. 1 Corinthians 16:14
19 We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19
Part 1: And these Remain
Part 2: Faith
Part 3: Hope
Part 4: Love
It Starts Small 
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