What Love Really Means...

Today I received a really wonderful and powerful message that I wanted to share with my family and friends. It is on the topic of True Love.

This morning, Julius and I were in a class at our church learning about what they believe and teach, as we are considering joining. Something the pastor said struck me and I wrote it down for further thought. He essentially said, "Forgiveness does not mean acceptance or to say that 'it's no big deal'; rather, its that you know a price needs to be paid, and as Christ paid the price for your sins and forgave you, so you can/should freely offer forgiveness to others." The context was the message that we, as true Christians, have been saved and forgiven through God's grace, so we too must live our lives emulating this act. As fault-ridden humanity, we become offended, we hold grudges, we judge others for their actions (or inactions), we withhold our trust and our hearts from others until they have "proven" themselves worthy. And yet, we are not worthy to receive God's love....but He showers it upon us!

I started to think about what the Scriptures say about Love. Lets look at two specific places: 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 and 1 John 4:7-12.

1 Cor. 13: "⁴Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, ⁵does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, ⁶does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; ⁷bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ⁸Love never fails;"

I have often thought of this as a list. It reads like a list. We even try to remember the order in which it goes. But I realized that this is our commission. This is what God feels for us, and what we must feel for others: Be patient. Be kind. Do not be jealous. Do not be boastful. Do not be proud. Do not be rude. Do not be selfish. Do not be offended. Do not hold grudges. Rejoice in the truth, abhor falsehood. Do not give up! Never lose faith! Be hopeful! Endure through all! Because True Love Will Never Fail.

I began to think, first, of others I know because I am part of that 'fault-ridden humanity' I mentioned, and I naturally tend to judge others and deflect from myself. My thoughts were of "If only 'X' would take this message and apply it to their life, their marriage would be better." " 'Y' could benefit from this in their relationship/friendship with 'Z' ". All these thoughts flew through my mind within a few moments before I managed to stop and say to myself, "How do you apply this to your life and relationships? Do you hold grudges? Are you kind? Have you boasted? Given up?" Of course, I could only feel convicted that I have failed in all these areas, in all my relationships. I must do better; I must become intentional.

1 John 4: "⁷ Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. ⁸ But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. ⁹ God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. ¹⁰ This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. ¹² No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us."

After writing my notes and thinking that, perhaps I would write them in my blog, I closed my book and went about my day. Julius and I went driving all over West Houston looking at cheap vehicles, trying to find the one that will replace the Saturn I sold just yesterday. We were weary and as we neared our home, I heard a song on the radio that brought this message back to the forefront of my mind and heart. The video is not important to watch, just the singer and her husband before a camera, but the words...oh, the words! Please hear them!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgGUKWiw7Wk&feature=player_embedded

I so hope that my personal lesson has touched at least one reader of our blog. If it has, please share your thoughts here. If you have something to add, please do so. If you feel moved to rebuke my message, I would hear it. For only in community can our faith grow and be challenged. Even God allows Satan to tempt us so we may grow, become refined in our devotion, and ultimately to turn to Him for everything in our lives. Thank you, Jesus, for providing this privilege!