Love
John 15:9-10 Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
Love. Such a confounding concept. It is deep. It is complex. It is the object of the musings of philosophers, musicians, rulers and subjects alike. Love transcends class, generations, zip codes, positions, and titles. Love is beautiful and awe inspiring. Love can also introduce us to great pain. There is little pain like losing a loved one. There are few consolations that make up for the pain left by love. Yet, through it all, it is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all. So, as believers how are we to approach love? We look to the bible for our understanding of Love. 1 John 4:16 teaches us that God is love. Thankfully we have an example in Jesus of Nazareth. His life on earth shows us what love embodied looks like. Let’s take a look at 3 quick lessons about love from Jesus.
Love Lasts. It is a commitment. There are times when it love is exhilarating. In these times, exercising the disciplines of love can seem easy. But, the beauty of love is that it lasts even when the feelings of excitement and exhilaration leave. This is why Jesus teaches us to abide. It is a word that means to endure. Jesus wants our love to last. When you spend time with Jesus, you are building up your resistance to the temptation to run away when things get tough.
Love is known when it’s shown. Love is something that ought to be shown early and often. In our culture today, there is a phrase “say less.” It is an idiom that indicates people who can communicate with fewer expressions than expected. But, when it comes to love, it works best when there is demonstration to match our declaration. In other words, the more you say and do, the better point comes across. What you say should be punctuated by what you do. Jesus laid out examples of love. The father loved Jesus, and Jesus demonstrated his love for us. And then, Jesus asks us to remain faithful to him in love by obeying his commands.
Love has limits. Jesus explains the importance of limits that protect our love for him. In order for our love relationship with Jesus to last there need to be boundaries in place that help us endure. These limits help us to avoid pitfalls and distractions that would pull us away from God’s love. Jesus gives us commands to help us not hamper us.
So continue in love. You can pray that God would reveal God’s love for you. Continue to pursue God’s example of love in your own relationships both with God and other people. When you spend time reading God’s word and learning about God’s commands, you will build your capacity to love the way that Jesus loves.