True Love Pt.1
How can we truly know how to love without knowing Love Himself?
The Bible says, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love” (See 1 John 4:8). By the same token, whoever does not know God cannot possibly love in the way that He intended for us to love one another. If you’re ever curious about the character of God, read 1 Corinthians 13, which teaches us what love is. Since we know that God is love, this passage reveals Who God is.
Sometimes we question God simply because we do not know Him; but to know what love is, is to know Who God is. We’re called to seek God above all else. This command is often discussed in relation to the tangible things we desire from Him, but let’s approach this command from a different angle today.
It’s important to understand that there is no distinction between God and love; they are synonymous. The Bible does not say, “God is like love,” but rather that He IS love. Therefore, to understand love and how to walk in true love, we must first seek Love Himself—God Almighty. It is easier to trust God when we begin to understand the motive behind His actions. Since He is love, He must be driven by what we understand as love.
“What we understand as love”:
When we express our love for one another, we do not say, “I God you”; we say, “I love you.” This statement helps clarify the distinction between God being love and how we express our love in this physical realm.
Sometimes, it’s hard to believe that love is the motive behind the unfortunate events God allows to occur as a result of our human shortcomings. However, even in those situations, His true love is even more evident. Often, it is the removal of God's hand in our lives that drives us to draw nearer to Him, ultimately restoring our relationship with Him.
I like to think of a child in need of discipline: though the child may not appreciate their parents when they are spanked, that discipline is meant to prevent a troubled future. Just as a loving parent disciplines their child to protect them from harsher consequences in the future, God sometimes allows us to experience trials and tribulations so that we may turn to Him, thus avoiding eternal separation from Him.
Sometimes seasons are darkest simply because God wants us to draw nearer to Him. He loves you so much that He may allow your heart to be broken just so He can hear you calling out to Him. The pain can often blind us to the purpose behind it, but I challenge you to shift your perspective today. See your pain as God extending His hand, waiting for you to grab hold and never let go.
He may be a jealous God (See Exodus 20:50, but above all, He is loving. While He becomes jealous when we place our desires above Him, He loves us enough to strip away the idols in our lives to save us from unseen dangers, because all that is apart from Him leads to death.
See part 2…
