A Tribute To Love
I’m not sure that there is a word in the English language misused and misunderstood more than love. I love my wife, my children, my friends and I love a good pecan pie! I think this is one of the most powerful words in our language, yet we use it a bit flippantly. In order to examine this word more deeply, we need to go to the Author of Love – God. Love begins and ends with God. He created love and He wants us to love like He loves.
God’s Word speaks of three types of love – Agape, Phileo, and Eros. Agape is the highest, most profound type of love. It is love most often mentioned in the New Testament. It is the love from God and for God. His love for us is Agape and he wants us to love others with this kind of love. Agape love is love without condition or strings attached. Phileo love is brotherly love. This is the type of love that we should have for one another. Eros is the sensual/sexual use of the word love that resides inside the intimacy of marriage.
King Solomon penned the Song of Songs which is filled with love poetry and verse. It sure sounds like a pure love that fits more in the Eros category. Check this out…..
9 You have captured my heart,
my treasure, my bride.
You hold it hostage with one glance of your eyes,
with a single jewel of your necklace.
10 Your love delights me,
my treasure, my bride.
Your love is better than wine,
your perfume more fragrant than spices. (Song of Songs 4:9-10 NLT)
I believe that love is a decision before it’s an emotion. I have to decide who I’m going to love and how I’m going to love. It’s easy for me to love my wife and children. I love them deeply. I can get frustrated and angry with them, but I NEVER stop loving them. It almost feels “hard-wired” in me to love them. Loving other people is sometimes more of a challenge. I personally believe that loving others is NOT OPTIONAL for Christ followers.
John 3:16 (NLT) – 16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
1 John 3:16 (NLT) – 16 We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.
Love comes from deep inside my heart.
Love changes me deep inside my heart.
Love is the deepest and most powerful concept of our existence. Every person on the planet NEEDS to love and be loved. I am struggling just how to describe love. I know the more I study and learn of God, the more His love expands my heart. I’m so thankful for love at every level and in every language.
Pressing On!
Dwayne