Love is a funny thing. It is something everyone has a hunger for since the minute they enter this world. The sad thing is that most of us don't know how to desire the right kind of love; giving or receiving it.
I heard on the lyrics to a song on the TV, "I want to know what love is." Now, this is not a Christian song by any means, but it certainly got me thinking. The next part says, "I want you to show me."
Do we really want to know what love is? Do we really have a desire for God to show us what TRUE love is and means? In a world where everything is about me and want we have lost all senses of what love really should look like. It is not selfish or prideful. Love seeks NOT it's own, but desires to help and comfort those around it. Love is not puffed up, but completely humble, thinking of others before itself.
Families are broken apart, children are beaten and treated like trash, parents give up on any love they had for one another like it was a season that just came and went. Love is scarce and we haven't even noticed. The world is a prideful place to live. Humans hearts are set on themselves if they are not set on GOD.
I just keep thinking about that word; LOVE. I ponder it for a long time, wondering if I've ever shown true, unselfish love to anyone. I honestly don't know that I have. I strive to love God unselfishly, but I'm sure there's always some sort of self centered motives behind things I do. It makes me sad, it truly does. I have begun to realize lately that to truly be a light in this world I've been placed in, I have to stop striving to be better; I need to cease everything in my life and concentrate on one thing: learning to love. "Everything works together for good for those who love God." It doesn't say "well, you may not be blessed with much but at least you'll have warm fuzzies." No, "EVERYTHINGworks together for good..."
God desires to love and bless us; He WANTS to teach us. The question we must now ask ourselves is, do we want Him to? The relationship we have with God is built on love. Everything He did was out of love, which means for us to be Christ-like we must base our lives on love.
Now, this doesn't mean we should be peace-sign-holding-everything-is-just-great-we-should-all-just-love kind of people. No, we still have to stand up for what's right, have convictions and be able to speak the truth boldly even if we step on a few toes, but everything we do should be done IN love.
When we start putting other people above ourselves, then we can truly feel alive and free because we no longer have bitterness and hatred built up in that heart of ours, but pure love. It will not contaminate and poison us from the inside out like hatred and bitterness. It will not eat us alive turning us into darkness.
"God is love." It is SO simple. God loved you, God died for you, God wants you to feel His love and acceptance. Every. Single. Day.
Go back to the time and place you first found Jesus and made Him a permanent part of your life. I didn't cry because I found a new person to get acceptance from. I cried because I realize it wasn't just "some people" that killed the One Living God. It was me. I killed Him. Because of my sin He chose to die in my place. I cried because I was so happy, because I finally realized WHO God was, and the very thought of HIM loving me was just overwhelming. ME. Even though I have hurt Him, been angry at Him, went the opposite way He told me to go, and even though MY sin nailed Him to the cross...He still loved me. He will love me every day of my life regardless of what I do.
THAT is true love.
I love this song that Starfield sings, because the lyrics are just so amazing. They say, "Jesus You have me completely, every breath that I breathe, I am absolutely in Love with You." We SHOULD be completely in love with Jesus! It's not weird or unusual, because He is God. How would
I took a little of the lyrics from the song I mentioned in the beginning and have made them into a prayer, because in all honesty they truly were thought provoking.
Dear Lord,
"I want to know what love is. I want YOU to show me." I want you to guide me into a loving mind-set every day that I am blessed enough to wake up to another morning. I want my life to be like Yours, not living for anything in and of myself, but to show others the passionate love You give me each and every day. Cleanse and make my heart pure and fill it with You and You alone.
Amen.
Love, in short, is Jesus.
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