Throughout the history of man, This Thing Called Love, has been written about, songs have been played, poems written, wars fought, and even lives lost in the pursuit of love, or the act of love. So what is it about love that burns so deep in the soul of human kind. And furthermore, just what is love really. Is it the emotion felt in the passion of a sweetheart relationship? Is it the result of the deep human need to be connected to others? Or is it a God given need within man that like other needs, when allowed to be filled by God, unlocks the human heart to great things in relationship to both man and God.
Significance in the soul of man can be tied directly to the impact of love, or sadly, the lack thereof.
So how do we get our arms around this thing called love, so that it rests in our hearts and soul from our Divine Creator in the manner that it was intended for?
Consider the following verses from I Corinthians 13: 1-4
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. [2] If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
[3] If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Clearly every effort of our own, every accomplishment, every gift of talent, and every gift we give lacks completeness without this characteristic of love. Pretty heavy words if you think about it. Basically saying if you did what you did without love in your heart…. What have you really accomplished ?
In the movie “Chariots of Fire” depicting the lives of two very different runners in the early century Olympics, one runner ran to express his gift of running back to God, and the fulfillment showed in every stride and struggle in the movie. The other runner ran for fear… Fear of insignificance, fear of losing, fear of not being the best and falling short. At the end of the race, the first runner finished the race smiling as he felt the “pleasure of God” in his running. It was a matter of love that drove him and the satisfaction of his running wasn’t in the win itself, but rather in the expression of his God given gift being given back to God in the best expression of his worship and love for him.
That moment in the movie seeing him wins his race in the manner he did, reflected the very nature in which God desires us to win our races here on earth. The runner could have run the same race with the same satisfaction in front of an audience of only God and been satisfied.
To give love from our heart, we must have love in our heart… And that comes from the gift of God. We must abide in God always to be full of the right kind of love to live satisfied lives.
1 John 4:16-18
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love.
Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. [17] In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. [18] There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
So as we delve into this thing called “Love”, always know that you are loved, and can realize a deep sense of love as you abide in the promises of God toward you.
Have a blessed week.
His Servant,
Jeff
