We long to be known deeply and accepted, without hiding who we really are. Love is a basic human need. Love is the foundation for any strong and lasting relationship. But most marriages today don’t end well, in Europe about half end in divorce. As we journey in this world, love seems uncertain, frequently conditional or transactional. Why? What we really crave is unconditional love. A love that we will know and feel no matter what we do. We long to be known deeply, and not have to hide who we are inside in order to be loved.
We have trouble recognizing love when we see it, because of the many counterfeit loves that the world offers. A girl in love with a boy because he is a great athlete may find that she really loves his popularity, not his character. What if another boy enters her life that is more popular or better looking? Her motives for the relationship are selfish.
People often think of love as merely a feeling, but love is much more than that. If I love you because you are beautiful, what happens as age changes that? If I love you because I feel safe with you, what happens when I no longer feel safe? Love is tested not in romantic settings but over time in difficult and mundane circumstances. Where can we find true love… that lasts?
How can we recognize true love, what are the characteristics? Would you agree with this description of love? True love is patient, kind, trusting, loyal, able to endure, protecting, hopeful, well mannered, committed, not demanding, not irritable or touchy, not envious, not boastful, not selfish, not rude, not holding grudges. Is that true in your relationships? That is how the Bible describes love. (1 Cor. 13)
Love is not blind, but it is a commitment. Despite knowing many things about the other person, including their mistakes and weaknesses, you choose to love and care for them. That is certainly true of most moms! They changed our diapers and know the worst about us.
God is the one who loves us like this and can enable us to love others like this. His is a love that gives. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him might not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
God’s love is unconditional and eternal. How do we know? Because He loved you before you were born or did anything. We can have a relationship with the Creator of the Cosmos! But He commands us to love others, including our enemies. How is that possible, to command love, or to love an enemy? It may sound surprising, but loving others brings us peace and joy. We are not capable of loving others in our own strength or ability, but God can enable you. Love can be an emotion, but in essence it is a choice.
When we love, as God loves, we stop judging others which is incredibly freeing. Is is amazing how much time and energy humans spend judging others regarding clothes, race, comments, hair, political preferences, even diet. If you spend any time at all on social media, you see all this.
Those who have experienced God’s love are overwhelmed by it. It changes your whole outlook on life. Jesus taught that the entire law of Moses could be summarized by love. Love God with all of your heart, soul, and strength, then love your neighbor as yourself. (Luke 10:27) Start that journey with God, it is rewarding beyond your imagination!
Science defines reality: A hugely popular dumb idea
“We don’t believe in God, we believe in science”, said the couple. Many people today consider it uneducated to believe in God. This misunderstanding comes from two basic problems: not realizing the limits of science, and relegating the rest of human experience to superstition. “According to the scientific naturalist version of …
God of Covert Operations: How to See a Secret God
There is another aspect of the question of suffering and the existence of God. One might wonder why an all-powerful God does not make His existence more obvious. Where is God when you need Him? Is He really all-powerful? Is He really a God of love? Why doesn’t God intervene? …
How to know whether God exists or not: 5 questions
There are many who deny there is a God, others say that it doesn’t make any difference, and others still who don’t want there to be a God who might interfere in their lives. But the hard evidence for God is everywhere we look. Scientists tell us that the cosmos …