Pastor David Hartgrove, Crossroads Cathedral
As we enter the Valentine month, our minds focus on love, even if it is only for a brief time. When we think about love, various thoughts come to us. For example “Is it love or is it just infatuation? “ or “Is love enduring or is it fleeting:?” or “ Is love given returned?” or “ How much do I love you and you love me?” or “True love will stand the test of time” . We could continue on and on concerning the subject of love.
Reverend David Hartgrove
Hallmark movies are certainly not the picture of true love, but unlike real life, they certainly seem to give the impression that love is all in finding the right person at the right time for the right reason.
The world seems to imply that falling out of love is just as easy as falling in love. What does the Bible speak to us concerning the definition of genuine love? Jesus taught that we should love our neighbor as ourselves. This necessitates that we should have a healthy love for ourselves, not narcissistic. Jesus said of God His Father, that God has an unconditional love for all humans, in that He sent Jesus His Son so that whoever believes in and on Jesus as God’s son will receive eternal salvation in this life and the life to come. Peter the apostle said in his book of the Bible that God is not willing that anyone should perish, but that all should come to salvation through faith in Christ.
God loves us so much that He will not mandate that everyone become a child of God through faith in His son. He will not force anyone to love Him or to serve Him.
The zenith of love is expressed by a verse in Romans that tells us that God loved us and His Son died for us when we were yet sinners or in other words, before we loved God, He first loved us.
Some persons had a parent that was very unloving and yet a child loved that parent totally and completely. in spite of their ill treatment. Oftentimes the image of a loving Heavenly Father will be marred by a cruel earthly Father, but God has the capacity to give that person that was deprived of love an even greater and powerful love that will heal the soul and restore the spirit.
Love doesn’t always seem fair and equal, but God’s love is without flaws and is true love that not only gives new life here on earth, but promises a heaven full of love, mercy, grace and joy for all eternity. All we have to do is believe it and receive it. Jesus loves you and so do I.
