"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends." - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a
Have you ever wondered how God could love such an unclean, disobedient, selfish people? God not only loves us, but He is in love with us! Imagine being completely head over heals in love with someone who is not in love with you. That is what God goes through continually as His people reject Him, don't consider Him, don't take the time to talk with Him, stay away from His presence, and ignore the One who loves them more than life itself.
All throughout the Bible we see examples of what love is, and what love isn't. In fact, Jesus said that all the law and the prophets hang on this commandment: love God, and love others as thyself (Matt 22:35-40). When your love is perfected, you have become perfect and no longer have need of the law, for love is what fulfills the law (Matt 5:17; Romans 13:10; Galatians 15:14). We see above in 1 Corinthians 13 that love is more than a feeling. It is an action that flows from ones heart, it bears good tasting fruit, and it never stops flowing. Love is what causes a husband to give up his life for his wife, and a man to give up his life for a friend. Jesus Christ displayed this love as He sacrificed His own life for those whom God chose for salvation. Without love, everything we do in this life is in vain, even what we do for God!
Submit yourself to God. - James 4:7
Submit yourself one to another in the fear of God. - Ephesians 5:21
Jesus told us that if we love Him we would keep His commandments. So part of showing love is being obedient. With love, we don't insist on our own way (1 Corinth 13:5), but rather put others ahead of ourselves (Phil 2:4). If we love God, we will do what He asks even when we don't feel like it, knowing that He has our best interests in mind. It is important that we seek not our own, but the things which are Jesus Christ's (Phil 2:21). The same goes with people, if we truly love someone, we will do things for them even when we don't want to. Part of love is submitting yourself to the one that you love - whether it be a spouse, a friend, or God. If we truly love that person, we will take joy in serving them.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. - 1 John 5:1-3
Check your love today. Watch how you treat others. Pay attention to the way you go about serving God and man. Make sure you spend time with your Father in Heaven and let Him know how much you love Him. Show love to others. Let people know that you care for and love them. Love your enemies despite what they may say or do. Put away all feelings that cause you to walk contrary to the Spirit. For God is love, and God is the Holy Spirit, and if you are a true believer the Holy Spirit dwells within you, which means Love itself is in you. Tap into that Love today and don't depart from it. I love you and God loves you too. Search your heart, and if you find that your love isn't right, submit yourself to God and ask Him to fix your heart. Fall in love with God today, for He loves you more than you can ever imagine.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 8:38-39
If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed (Anathema). Our Lord, Come! (Maranatha). - 1 Corinthians 16:22
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