3 little words that mean so much. How many do not hear those words expressed to them at any time in their life. What lengths some have gone to to try to get someone to say those words to them. Everyone wants to be loved and yet we seek it in all the wrong places!
God knows that we are created with this need because He is love. He created us to love and be loved. His love is deeper than our imaginations can muster. He stands ready to share that love with us. He in turn expects to receive love back. When he was questioned about what is the greatest commandment….
Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” Matthew 22:37-38.”And the second is like it; ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” Vs.39
THe Oxford American Dictionary defines love thus:
“an intense feeling of deep affection.”
Ah, but where does that intense feeling originate?
How do we fulfill Jesus great commandment? How do we develop an intense feeling of deep affection for God – and then, too for our neighbor?
I think the road to love starts with getting to know someone. Our love for God has a starting point when we accept the sacrifice of Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins and we come to know God as our Saviour from sin. But any true love grows from a starting point. It develops as we spend time with someone – learning their personality traits – having many conversations and sharing of intimacies – becoming that persons confidant.
…And so begins our journey to develop a love for God. As we spend time reading His word – we learn about the personality of the 3-in one God – all the aspects of Jesus as he walked on earth – the person of the Holy Spirit who is our constant companion. The more we read and understand, the more the love grows – the more our deep affection for God affects our lives.
…Then a natural follow-up to the desire to love God is the love of our neighbor. As we love God we begin to see our relationships in the light of God’s love. They, too, develop as we spend time discovering the personality and strengths of our friends, family and acquaintances.
When we start thinking of the complete meaning of love and how it pertains to us personally – we can’t go far until we find ourselves involved in the matter of forgiveness. We can’t love if we can’t forgive. We see the greatest love known to mankind in the example of our Savior Jesus Christ – who has provided COMPLETE forgiveness to all who call on His name.
I John 4:20 says “If someone says ‘I love God’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? (vs, 21) And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also”.
We see that we cannot say we love God and have unforgiveness in our hearts.
The greatest commandment that we love God with all our soul, mind and strength and our neighbor as ourself really defines the kind of love God expects of us. It involves “esteeming others better than ourselves”(Phil.2:3) – “going the second mile” – “ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (I John 3:16) – “whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him (I john 1:5) – “He who has my commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love
him and manifest Myself to him” (John 14:21)–vs 23 “make our home with him”.
Let us challenge ourselves to say those valuable 3 little words often – learn to express our feelings to God and to our friends and family. Everyone needs to know they are loved – and how will they know if we don’t tell them! However, be warned – if we say the words we must prove them by our actions.
Tags: Inspiration