Love, Defined!

Love, Defined!

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 KJV

The world has its definition for love, just as the Word of God also does. The challenge is always that the world's definition is popular because it does not hold people to the high standards God's Word demands. This is why, for example, the world will define premarital sex as making love. That is just one example of why the Word of God and the world will never come to an agreement.

So, how does the Word of God define love? First, it starts in and with God. You really cannot see or understand God's kind of love if you have not had a personal experience of who God is. It starts with God and ends with eternal life. So, whatever it is you are holding on to in the name of love, if it is not founded on God or reflects the outflow of your walk with Him, then, you need to check again what you are holding on to. 

And that definition comes at a cost: the Son of God. The world sees love from the prism of what it can get; the Word sees love from the prism of what it gave and continues to give. Love is seen, felt, tasted, smelt or touched; it is never a function of ordinary words. God's love is seen in what He gave up for us, not what we did to deserve the gift. Love isn't about reciprocity first of all, but about a reflection of who God is. What are you showing off at the moment: God's genuine love or the world's many false variants of feelings mistakenly labelled as love?

And this love also calls for a reaction or response from me. Note that it goes beyond hearing or reading about this love; the appropriate response is to accept this gift and believe in Him. This response is important because my eternity depends on it. I am called to impact my world but my life wasn't given to end down here. I am a work in progress, whose full manifestation will only be revealed when Christ returns for me. 

If the Lord were to return today, what will he find in and with me? Would I be seen as one who believed and accepted the free gift or as one who rejected Him? Remember, nothing God does is in vain. He's done all that is required to get me into heaven; I cannot turn around and blame Him if I make the choice to reject Him. His time of favour is here.