The Bible says, “God is Love.” Have you ever thought about what that means? Or what weight that statement has?
God cannot be separated from His love. Like all of God's attributes, love is essential to His character, but it is the only attribute that is nearly identified with God Himself. Love defines God's relationship to His children and His creation.
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.” (1 John 3:16)
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
His creation must bask in the glory of that great love, even if His love was not directed towards us at all. The rocks, the trees, the animals, and the angels must also stand in awe of the love they see in God. It is breathtakingly beautiful. Love is such a vast word and we use it to mean many different things in our day, but I believe we find the true definition in God Himself. “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him.” (1 John 4:7-9)
Because He dwells in us, love has to leak through to others from us. “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:12-13)
How blessed are we that we can be capable of this glorious attribute too, though our love is very pale in comparison. Because of Christ, we can forever echo His awesome love to the universe by loving each other.
“Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.” (1 John 3:18)
This love that flows through us from our Father that we see displayed in His word should cause us to constantly rejoice and praise our God. Our souls should be enraptured in the glory found in His love for us. It should give us insatiable joy. “Praise be to the Lord, for He showed me the wonders of His love...” (Psalm 31:21)
“But let all who take refuge in You be glad, Let them ever sing for joy; And may You shelter them, That those who love Your name may exult in You.” (Psalm 5:11)
We can find such comfort and peace in His love as well. His love does not change or lessen with our mistakes. The Father loves His children unconditionally. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?” (Romans 8:35)
Let us, His children, who He has chosen to pour out this wonderful love upon, live by His example: loving selflessly, purely, and gloriously so that any who sees can praise our Father.
