Love and romance have been the leading theme in movies, songs, plays and fiction literature since the birth of those mediums. Love (and the guilt of men) sustains the floral industry. February, which would otherwise be the dull sophomore month of a new year owes its rock star status to love via Valentine’s Day. Love or the pursuit of love will even make a guy shower and brush his teeth!
It is safe to say you would agree that love and the absence of love are powerful forces with either delightful or dreadful affects in your life. So, how did love garner such authority and influence?
The origin of things helps to bring context and insight such as that of Valentine’s Day. Not a pretty picture. Essentially, Valentine was tortured and executed for marrying a man and woman in the Christian faith. The power of love moved St. Valentine to do extraordinary things and willingly pay the price with this life. What about the origin of love?
1 John 4:10 says in part “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us…” Please catch the unconditionality of this statement. It is a love that did not and does not require our initiation nor reciprocity. From the very beginning, God loved us, the origin.
With so much conflict and tragedy in the world, it is understandable so many people struggle with the idea of a loving God. Who hasn’t wrestled with the question that begins with “If God is a loving God, then why…”. Again, origin. To understand the love of God, we need to look to the second part of 1John 4:10 “… and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
Because of love, God created us for a love relationship with Him. To believe in true love, we must get to know Him through His Son Jesus. However, you and I and every human on earth has the same problem that prevents us from knowing Him well and is the source which leads to the heart break we see in our world. That problem is sin. There is a price for sin and Jesus paid that price on our behalf. God also gives us a free choice whether we will accept this truth and His love by giving our hearts to Jesus.
When I think of the extreme measures God went through to capture my heart, it first humbles me then begins to give me a love for Him and for others. I have accepted that God loves me unconditionally through my faults and failures and I am all shook up.
Topics: Encouraging Words
