What is it? Have you ever experienced it? I wonder how many people have. So much of what is called “love” has numerous conditions applied to it: “if you do this, if you do that..” which basically says, “I’m more interested in what you can do for ME, than I am in YOU.” Think of the relationships that are based on what you can do for me or how you can advance my career or make me look good. This is not love, no matter how many flowers and gifts are given, how many promises are made. My husband often says, “The evidence is always in the action.” How does the person treat you when you mess up (which we all do from time to time)?
1 Corinthians 13 is called “The Love Chapter” and for good reason. It describes in a few short verses what love is and what it is not:
What it is:
patient, kind, rejoices with truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
What it is not:
jealous, bragging, arrogant, acting unbecomingly, seeking its own, provoked, holding grudges (keeping record of wrongs), not rejoicing in righteousness.
Love NEVER fails. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)
These verses basically describe God. He is patient, kind, holds no grudge, certainly rejoices in the truth (He IS truth), and He NEVER fails.
God’s love is agape which means unconditional, divine, selfless.
His love is SELF-SACRIFICING: “We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us.” (1 John 3:16)
His love is GENEROUS: “See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God” (1 John 3:1). “…and, if children, heirs also, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ.” (Romans 8:17).
His love is UNENDING: “…(nothing) shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)
Is there such a thing as unconditional love? Indeed, there is.
“For God so LOVED the WORLD that He GAVE His only begotten Son…” (John 3:16)
That’s what we celebrate! Love that is unconditional, self-sacrificing, generous and unending.
A blessed Christmas to all!
“We love because He first loved us…” (1 John 4:19)
Ain’t it wonderful? We are loved by by the all powerful holy ONE!
Blessings to you for this profound reminder about God’s unlimited love for us.
May many unbelievers see your words and “pause” to consider.
Thanks for the lesson and reminder Teri. A blessed Christmas to you and your family as well. Thx again!
Beautifully expressed. How blessed we are when we come to know this Truth and our lives are changed for eternity. Wishing you special blessings this Christmas and in the year ahead. ❤
The gift we all need and desire -Perfect Love!! Thank you for describing it well and pointing to the source, available to all. Because of Jesus, we say Merry Christmas!
Great commentary! Merry Christmas!
Unconditional love – easy to receive, hard to give. May I do better in the coming year, as God would have me to do.