This morning I was thinking about the events of yesterday. Sending and receiving emails with friends and neighbors. Phone calls with the kids. Truly a day bathed in love.
In all of this I was telling the Lord “I love you dearly”. And then I heard, “why”. Why…why do I love you? The answer that first came to mind was because You are worthy.
Wrong!
We don’t love based on worthiness. If we do, that isn’t true love. We don’t love because we “fall in love” because that would mean we could fall out of love.
In our relationship with the Lord we love because we take on His nature and follow His commandments
“Jesus answered, ‘The most important one (commandment) says: ‘People of Israel, you have only one Lord and God. 30 You must love him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.’ 31 The second most important commandment says: ‘Love others as much as you love yourself.’ No other commandment is more important than these.” Mark 12:29-31 CEV
“If we truly love others and live as Christ did in this world, we won’t be worried about the day of judgment. 18 A real love for others will chase those worries away. The thought of being punished is what makes us afraid. It shows that we have not really learned to love. 19 We love because God loved us first.” I John 4:17-19 CEV
Love in its truest form isn’t a verb but a noun. As a verb it would imply action and so if I choose not to act, then I could choose not to love.
However, when I recognize that love is a noun – the name of a person, place or thing, then the only way that love would cease to exist is if the person of love, God Himself, ceased to exist.
So let’s ask the question again. Why do I love you Lord?
Answer: You loved me first and Your love never fails or comes to an end. You gave me Your DNA when I was born again into Your family so I take on Your character and nature and I love.
Thank you Father for being the personification of love – for taking love from an action, making it a person (Christ) and for giving me the command and the ability to be a living example of Your love!