Image Credit: Crosswalk
The supreme revelation of God was unveiled to us in 1 John 4:8:
“…. God is love”.
Unfortunately, the word, ‘Love’ is a word which has been wrongly defined, misused and misinterpreted by people.
Love, to the fallen man, is a feeling – a good feeling one has for another. This mediocre definition is a contributing factor to the numerous divorces found in American homes.
But for the Saint, love is not a mere feeling; neither is it an idea. For the Saint, Love is a nature, heart and life of benevolence, charity and kindness to humanity.
Adamic love is conditional. But Agape love – the love we are commanded to show to man – is unconditional.
Are you living this life of Love?
When your heart is lain bare before several eyes, what will be seen? Will it be a heart clothed with divine love, or a heart hardened with hate?
The Love of Christ was what made Him to leave the pleasures of Heaven to partake in man’s humanity, for our liberation.
Romans 5:8: “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” {NLT}
God expressed His love for us through the sacrifice of His beloved Son.
By that act, God created a precedent, a standard and an ordinance, to govern Christian living.
It is no secret that this is a tough season for nations around the world.
Even the world’s global power, USA, is experiencing a steady decline in its national economic strength.
Millions around the world are dying daily. Hope is fading away, like the setting of the sun.
Music therapy is no longer working. Motivational speeches are no longer antidepressants. Who shall the world turn to?
Jesus answered this question when He said, ‘We are the light of the world’.
The Church is God’s light meant to illuminate the darkened hearts and hopeless lives of people.
We do this by showing and expressing the Love of Christ to them.
This Love must be lived, not just in the Church, but even outside the Church. It must be felt by our neighbours and friends.
A religious scholar once posed this question to Jesus:
“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”
Jesus answered him, “‘Love the Lord your God with every passion of your heart, with all the energy of your being, and with every thought that is within you.’ {TPT}
“This is the great and supreme commandment. And the second is like it in importance: ‘You must love your friend in the same way you love yourself.’ Contained within these commandments to love you will find all the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 23:36-40 {TPT}
The greatest commandment that Christ gave the church is to love God and to love humanity.
Some believers are full of so much hate that they actually desire the eternal destruction of those who hate them; whereas, God’s Word tells us that He does not want anyone to perish.
“Now, this is the goal: to live in harmony with one another and demonstrate affectionate love, sympathy, and kindness toward other believers. Let humility describe who you are as you dearly love one another.” 1 Peter 3:8.
The core value of the Church is Love. Every other value and principle is built upon it.
The same way Christ expressed the love of The Father to man, is the same way The Church, must express and exemplify Agape love to humanity.
“Beloved children, our love can’t be an abstract theory we only talk about, but a way of life demonstrated through our loving deeds. We know that the truth lives within us because we demonstrate love in action, which will reassure our hearts in his presence.” 1 John 3:17.
Real love is an action. Real Love is overwhelming; it is a tangible phenomenon.
Love is more of a verb than a noun.
Love is seen by actions and not by mere words. Real love will push you to the undeveloped nations of Africa to provide spiritual, emotional and financial edification to humanity.
It will cause you to give to the poor and needy. When there is true love in one, one’s smile becomes a healing balm to the wounded.
Manifest God’s Love today!
Written by Greenhills Emmanuel Amarayahweh