Love of God
Episode #34
What is the love of God? There are many attributes given to God, but one of the most common is God is love. How does that translate to us, and how can we embrace God’s love in the everyday? If God is love, why do I hurt so much? In this podcast, we explore the scriptures that discuss God’s love and ways to be open to the love of God in our daily lives.
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Show Notes: Love of God
Love is one of those words that is overused. I love coffee, I love chocolate, I love you. It has become diminished by books, movies, and television shows. People say it without meaning it. Love is difficult in the human sense, it is messy it is sometimes not returned and it hurts when those we love the most don’t return the love we have for them.
There are different types of love and for the purpose of this podcast, we will concentrate on Agape love – the one discussed in the New Testament and the one attributed to God’s love.
Love is the greatest attribute we can give to God, and why shouldn’t we the scriptures proclaim that he is love, 1 John: 4-8 – “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love…”
Love is fundamental to all human beings it is the one thing we crave, to love and be loved but also the one thing we so abuse in our brokenness. I remember a friend telling me that when she heard God described as a loving Father she could not relate because her father never told her he loved her. We use words to describe God – his attributes, but we are limited by our language in describing the supernatural. God is the creator. His love is amazing and if we can take a moment to discover, to meditate and to be still before the Lord, He and only He can fill us with the wonder of His love.
We hurt those we love the most, yet God is steadfast. God by his very nature is pure and perfect love. He is unchanging. It is due to His love for us that He gave the ultimate sacrifice and that is life – He gave up His life for us so that we could have everlasting life with Him.
No greater love… John 15:13 – “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
This love of God is known as Agape, and it is a self-giving love. It is not something that comes naturally to us and that is why it is designated to God because he exemplifies this. There are various interpretations of Agape love – but one I love is that God loves us because He wills it.
God loves the sinner but hates the sin. The scriptures are filled with instances where Jesus commands his disciples. He expects our fidelity and says, “If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.” John 15:10
Does this mean God stops loving us?
This is where we look to the scriptures for our answers.
1 John 4:15-17 – “And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us. God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him. In this way, love has been perfected among us, so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment; for in this world we are just like Him.”
To remain in God’s love there are conditions but ultimately the Lord loves us even through sin. We are the ones that turn our back on Him, He is always waiting with hands outstretched, inviting us into true happiness. Ephesians 2:4-5 states “But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ, even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved.”
And, Romans 5:8 – “But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
So many of us get glassy-eyed, our minds wander and we may not realize the significance of the words… which is why I’ll ask you to use the show notes and go over the scriptures, read them, study them, journal about them and their impact for your life and the life of those you love.
I believe that God is love, His love is everlasting, all-encompassing and His love never changes. God’s love for you is unconditional – He wants you to change if you are in sin for yourself – but nothing we can do will ever change God. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you live, what type of car you drive. God’s love doesn’t hinge on what you do for Him. However, if we love God we will serve Him not in a mediocre way but with all we’ve got!
If you’ve never experienced God’s love, that is what I will pray for you today.
Dear Lord, I pray that You touch the hearts of those listening, that You open minds to truly understand how much You love all of us. I ask that You allow us to experience Your everlasting love, oh God– that You take us where we are but offer, through Your help and grace to encourage us to be better, to strive for holiness, to strive to listen to your small, still voice and align our plans to your plans. I ask that you help us to discern Your will for our lives, for the mission you’ve laid out before us, for the work we currently do and will do in the future no matter what our station in life– whether we are single, a wife, a husband, or clergy. Lord, I thank You for Your love for us, Your people. I know You care about me, and that You love me. And I feel blessed to know that I can count on this love all the days of my life until You call me home. Amen.
More Scriptures to study about the love of God:
John 13:34
1 John 4:10
Ephesians 2:4
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