True Love

Happy Valentine's Day,

In this week's post, I want to do something a bit differently (if not, slightly cliché). Rather than try to wax eloquently with some of my own thoughts, I thought in light of today's Hallmark-fueled holiday, I would simply remind you of what true love is by sharing nothing more than words from the Scriptures.

My encouragement is not to skim through these words, but to actually take two minutes to read them slowly, pondering exactly what true love is, how God displayed it through Jesus, and wants to now display it through you. So let's remember the love of God through these words, enjoying His lavish love for us which he wants to lavish upon others through us.

Love Notes from God

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

"But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus," (Ephesians 2:4-6)

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." (1 John 4:7-11)

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends." (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a)

"Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." (Romans 13:10)

"Let all that you do be done in love." (1 Corinthians 16:14)

I love you!