Love - Part 1
Love is a verb.
Love means demonstrating your affection and respect for someone. It's an action word, showing what we do because of those feelings.
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Matthew 22:37
Love without action is just words. Your husband can tell you he loves you a hundred times, but if he doesn't show you respect or respond to your requests, you probably won't believe him. And if you repeat loving words all the time but don't serve your husband with honor and compassion, he won't believe you either.
God responds to love in the same way. We may flood Him with songs of praise and prayers of thanksgiving on Sunday, but if we're not serving Him in our daily lives during the rest of the week, those words lose their meaning.
Being doers of the Word includes the actions we perform out of love and respect for the Lord. If our heart is right, our love will show by the work we do in Jesus' name. Our service becomes a reflection of His love inside us, which becomes love for Him, which turns into service dedicated to Him.
Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth convenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations. Deuteronomy 7:9
Love answers love in action. When someone does something for me out of love, I am not only appreciative, but I will probably reciprocate. If our own cup is overflowing with love and respect, we are much more likely to pour some of that over into another cup, giving them an added blessing.
One of the great promises of God is His faithfulness to bless those who love and serve Him. No one ever could or ever will love us more than the Lord. And He shows that love exceeding abundantly above to those of His children who both love Him back and obey Him.
Our desire should always be to glorify and honor the Lord in all we do. Any action that we perform out of love is because He has loved and blessed us first, not because of some emotion or some feeling on our part. It's that loving relationship with our Heavenly Father that makes all other loving relationships possible and healthy.
These things I command you, that ye love one another. John 15:17
Love is a Divine gift, and nothing of this world can ever compare. Our flesh tells us to either keep to ourselves or to do things for other people for selfish reasons. Once the Holy Spirit is living inside us and directing our paths, the love that He brings with Him spreads into our other relationships.
When we get saved our marriage is enhanced, our friendships are stronger and our family becomes more important. Christ's command to love another is easier because we finally have something to offer - the love of God that He has tucked into our hearts. Where we were once going through the motions, we now have motivation, sincerity and a pure heart.
But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. Psalm 5:11
Love is a verb. It's an action that we perform because of the love God gave us first. That simple truth is reason to shout for joy and prepare to spend eternity bathed in His love. While we're here on earth, though, love is something we do because doing is the best way to demonstrate that overflowing, everlasting love that only God supplies.
Love means demonstrating your affection and respect for someone. It's an action word, showing what we do because of those feelings.
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Matthew 22:37
Love without action is just words. Your husband can tell you he loves you a hundred times, but if he doesn't show you respect or respond to your requests, you probably won't believe him. And if you repeat loving words all the time but don't serve your husband with honor and compassion, he won't believe you either.
God responds to love in the same way. We may flood Him with songs of praise and prayers of thanksgiving on Sunday, but if we're not serving Him in our daily lives during the rest of the week, those words lose their meaning.
Being doers of the Word includes the actions we perform out of love and respect for the Lord. If our heart is right, our love will show by the work we do in Jesus' name. Our service becomes a reflection of His love inside us, which becomes love for Him, which turns into service dedicated to Him.
Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth convenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations. Deuteronomy 7:9
Love answers love in action. When someone does something for me out of love, I am not only appreciative, but I will probably reciprocate. If our own cup is overflowing with love and respect, we are much more likely to pour some of that over into another cup, giving them an added blessing.
One of the great promises of God is His faithfulness to bless those who love and serve Him. No one ever could or ever will love us more than the Lord. And He shows that love exceeding abundantly above to those of His children who both love Him back and obey Him.
Our desire should always be to glorify and honor the Lord in all we do. Any action that we perform out of love is because He has loved and blessed us first, not because of some emotion or some feeling on our part. It's that loving relationship with our Heavenly Father that makes all other loving relationships possible and healthy.
These things I command you, that ye love one another. John 15:17
Love is a Divine gift, and nothing of this world can ever compare. Our flesh tells us to either keep to ourselves or to do things for other people for selfish reasons. Once the Holy Spirit is living inside us and directing our paths, the love that He brings with Him spreads into our other relationships.
When we get saved our marriage is enhanced, our friendships are stronger and our family becomes more important. Christ's command to love another is easier because we finally have something to offer - the love of God that He has tucked into our hearts. Where we were once going through the motions, we now have motivation, sincerity and a pure heart.
But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. Psalm 5:11
Love is a verb. It's an action that we perform because of the love God gave us first. That simple truth is reason to shout for joy and prepare to spend eternity bathed in His love. While we're here on earth, though, love is something we do because doing is the best way to demonstrate that overflowing, everlasting love that only God supplies.
Reminds me of that great song lyric, "It's Something That We Do" ... love isn't someplace that we fall / it's something that we do. Clint Black.
ReplyDeleteThere are redeeming lyrics in country music - you just have to look for them. I've always firmly believed that in the realm of love, actions DO speak louder than words.
ReplyDeleteIndeed! Here is the lyric in its entirety:
ReplyDeleteI remember well the day we wed
I can see that picture in my head
I still believe the words we said
Forever will ring true
Love is certain, love is kind
Love is yours and love is mine
But it isn't something that we find
It's something that we do
It's holding tight, letting go
It's flying high and laying low
Let your strongest feelings show
And your weakness, too
It's a little and a lot to ask
An endless and a welcome task
Love isn't something that we have
It's something that we do
We help to make each other all that we can be
Though we can find our strength and inspiration independently
The way we work together is what sets our love apart
So closely that you can't tell where I end and where you start
It gives me heart remembering how
We started with a simple vow
There's so much to look back on now
Still it feels brand new
We're on a road that has no end
And each day we begin again
Love's not just something that we're in
It's something that we do
Love is wide, love is long
Love is deep and love is strong
Love is why I love this song
And I hope you love it too
I remember well the day we wed
I can see that picture in my head
Love isn't just those words we said
It's something that we do
There's no request too big or small
We give ourselves, we give our all
Love isn't someplace that we fall
It's something that we do.