Diving A Little Deeper Into Love

Phrases we are all familiar with:
Love is in the air.  Love is blind. Don’t you just love the view from here?
Love is forever  (Well maybe not always in our lives but certainly its true with God and how much he loves us).

There are so many ways to love, ways to show our love. Places, people, pets, sandwiches, those brownies my wife just made. I love the way the way they smell when I come in from shoveling snow off the driveway.     We use the word “love” practically every day. 
Love is all around! We sing about it. “Love is a many splendored thing.” We read it, we say it. We probably do use the word every day. And we all know what it means, but did you know that the bible uses the word 538 times?      (It depends on which translation you have)   and it uses different words for different kinds of love. Let’s be clear, though, all love comes from God.    Jesus even uses the word “love” thirteen times.

The Bible first uses the word in Genesis 22:2. Then God said, “take your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac and go to the Moriah area. Sacrifice him there on a mountain as a burnt offering, which I will show you.” This would be storge love, family love or parental love.    (/ˈstɔːr.ɡi/; from Ancient Greek στοργή (storgḗ) 'love, affection')

Matthew 22: 39, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”  I just love my new little granddaughter. Have you seen my new dog? He’s such a good boy, I just love him. I love my wife. All of these uses of the word love are certainly different from each other.
1 Peter 4:8 “Above all. Love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. “And that’s Philia, Brotherly love.

There is romantic love in the Song of Solomon which is a gift from God. The Bible says to “Let all your actions be guided by love” I Cor. 16:14.     

Psalm 136: 1-3 “Praise the Lord! He is good. God’s love never fails. Praise the God of all gods. God’s love never fails. Praise the Lord of lords. God’s love never fails.”

In the Bible, Agape Love (Charity) is the best of all forms of love. This word describes the unparalleled love that God has for all mankind.  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16.  That kind of love makes my love of those fresh raspberries I just picked not seem so important. But God gives us his love, freely and He expects us to share that love with those around us.
 
1 Corinthians 13:13 “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
It warms our hearts, it warms our soul. Love makes life complete and heals us.

“Love is always patient, love is kind. It is never jealous. Love is never boastful or conceited. It is never rude or selfish. It does not take offense, and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people’s sins but delights in the truth. It is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope and to endure whatever comes. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Today, take inventory of   how to incorporate (give out and receive) more love. 

Dan Smith
General Manager 
Rocky Mountain CTN- Colorado Springs