Love

[throwingbones]

I never understood what love meant. Sometimes I wondered, could this be love? I've always heard that you recognize it when it's there, but our society has twisted the word "love." Many will never recognize it, and many will never find it. Most don't even know what they are looking for; then again, why even look? As if it can be found lying under a rock or up on a mountain top. You can't find love or force love. It has to be given.

How do you give love? First, you have to accept it. God loves us more than we could ever imagine. He pours out his love on us and it overflows into our relationships. If you feel unworthy of this love; you are right. We don't deserve it. But God loves us unconditionally. His mercy and grace is upon us as evidenced by the death of his only Son. We are washed clean in his sacrafice; in his blood. It doesn't matter what we've done. It doesn't matter how horrible we've been. God still accepts us. Love is "unconditional acceptance."

By our understanding of God's love for us, we can then love others around us.

 

[cbudc]

I agree with you on this. The world has twisted Love up so bad it's hard to really know for sure when you are truely in love with someone. Some people fall in love with the way people look. This is probably the number one thing. Oh he's so cute or oh she's so hot I have to have her. Things get rushed and the next thing you know all the outside beauty means nothing when neither of you can get a long.

God, like you said is not like that. I've learned from some really hard times in my life that the only way to get through them is through God's love. Even when times are rough and we feel no one is around, God is right there. I often ask God to hold me in His arms tightly as I sleep and give me peace of mind and heart. Those night, I sleep so well.

 

[Tink]

I would suggest that you would look to the Word itself to learn what the word 'love' means.

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:4-13

Praying for you in your time of questions.

In Christ,
Tink

 

[SandyLou]

You can't find love or force love. It has to be given. . . ..
How do you give love? First, you have to accept it. God loves us more than we could ever imagine. He pours out his love on us and it overflows into our relationships. If you feel unworthy of this love; you are right. We don't deserve it. But God loves us unconditionally. His mercy and grace is upon us as evidenced by the death of his only Son. We are washed clean in his sacrafice; in his blood. It doesn't matter what we've done. It doesn't matter how horrible we've been. God still accepts us. Love is "unconditional acceptance."

ABSOLUTELY!​

 

[2scoops]

I would suggest that you would look to the Word itself to learn what the word 'love' means.


Praying for you in your time of questions.

In Christ,
Tink

Cannot argue with the word. Good post.

Not only does the Lord love us unconditionally, but then we can practice that love back to Him. That's what builds the best relationship possible.

Deuteronomy 11
1 Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.
2 And know ye this day: for I speak not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the LORD your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm,
13 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul

Deuteronomy 11
21 That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.
22 For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him;
23 Then will the LORD drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves.

Deuteronomy 13
2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;
3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
4 Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.

 

[KeilCoppes]

And... we note from the word (above) that love has content. It's not just an oozy feeling, but also has actions within the structure of God's commands.

 

[chickenfeet]

i hate the L word.

its so frustrating.

i can read this thread over n over n over again, and i'll never be able to grasp what it actually means.

i quess i'm heartless. and Godless?

*shrugs*

bahumbug.

 

[JPPT1974]

Learning, leaning, and loving towards people. Both our friends and enemies. Learn to understandd people. Lean an arm and an ear towards them. Loving them for who they are. Listening to their needs and wants.

 

[Tuffguy]

I can't define it, but you know when it happens. You just know.

 

[jepvc4]

Love is also a choice.

"But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

"If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
(Luke 6:27-35)

By far, one of the hardest commands Jesus gives, and still one of the most important. For Jesus also said, "The second [greatest commandment] is like it; love your neighbor as yourself," and then goes on to explain to a Jew that his neighbors include Samaritans, whom the Jews hated.

 

[2Timothy2]

I don't think real love 'happens'. Love, agape love, is a choice. What 1 Cor. 13 speaks about isn't natural to us. This must be from the Spirit. And it is our choice to submit to Him, which allows us the ability to love.

Love is an active verb not a passive one. It is not focused on how we feel, but on how we can positively affect others. It's focus is outward not inward. It seems to be the hardest thing for us to understand or do, but it is the most rewarding thing we'll ever be involved in.

 

[JPPT1974]

Sometimes I feel like going from a guardian angel into being the grim reaper and people that I don't like or act unlovely I wished that why are they on this earth and why can't God take their own lives of like a heart attack. And sometimes that without those people the world would be better. I don't know why but the world would be better.