From the most fragile newborn whose instinct is to nuzzle to the lonely senior whose eyes light up by a visit; we are all born with a need to love and to be loved. Like a driving force deep within our psyche; we recognize that we were created with this great need for love. If indeed, we were just some chance of nature; why would we be driven by deep emotional needs? The depth of loneliness cries out to us as a nation when you consider the suicide rate, drug addictions, alcoholism, and even the divorce rate; all of which point to our inability to fulfill our need to feel loved. Consider this: God, who created us, IS love and the only way to really know love is to know Him!
I am certain, there are a few skeptics out there who would say, “wait a minute. Haven’t you seen atheists who love their children, their community, and their partners?” Of course I have; so, how could I say to really know love; one must know God? The reality is that God’s Grace is such that He taps on the shoulders of all men; precisely because of love. He displays this character of His Divine Nature to people; to draw them to Himself. Just as, God shares the beauty of His creation will all people; so, they might glimpse upon His Glorious beauty; He also displays His Divine Nature, by allowing people to experience love, so they might begin to realize, He IS. Nothing draws us closer to divinity than to experience true love.
Therefore, if God IS love; then, let’s look at His Characteristics of True Love as shown in His Character, Calvary love, and His covenant love toward us.
CHARACTER OF LOVE
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NLT)
The Christian community knows that these verses are love’s creed; which, we proclaim at many weddings or have hanging on our walls. Yet, by our own nature; we realize that we fail to fulfill these, just as often as we fail to fulfill the 10 commandments. God knew that we couldn’t keep this or the 10 commandments without His Love filling our hearts to help us to perform. Which brings us to Calvary Love.
CALVARY LOVE
When Jesus hung on that cross, there is no way that He looked out upon the crowd who were mocking Him, who had beaten Him, and who screamed crucify Him with a thought of how lovely they are. I love them because of their beautiful hearts. NO! He saw their ugly, regenerate hearts; and, He loved them enough to say, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do!”(Luke 23:44) He did not love them because they were so good, beautiful and lovely. Instead, He loved them because He knew He would transform their hearts into receptacles of love, if only they accepted His gift of Love. He knew the vessels of love they would be to a world in need, in Him and through the power of His Love
God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. Romans 5:8-9
There God saved us from the wrath of sin, by pouring out the just penalty of our sin on His Own Son; so that we might then be the benefactors of His love and that we might really know love. He went a step further in that, He also provides for us His covenant love which assures that we cannot fall away from His love, having once accepted His gift of salvation.
COVENANT LOVE
Covenant love is a love of promise. I will not leave you, no matter what happens. My love will remain through every dark circumstance. I will love you when you are your most unlovely and when you don’t even remember my love for you. When your faith fails you, I will be there to lift you up.
O LORD, the God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing lovingkindness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart, 1 King 8:23
My covenant I will not violate, Nor will I alter the utterance of My lips. Psalm 89:34
For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, And My covenant of peace will not be shaken,” Says the LORD who has compassion on you. Isaiah 54:10
TO REALLY KNOW LOVE
The only way to really know love is to know God; because, God is love. When you accept His gift of love, as presented by His gift of Salvation; He will transform your heart so that you really know love. That love then reaches out from your own overflowing heart to all those around you.
concluding tweets
[tweetthis]God IS love His character of love displayed by Calvary Love &Covenant love[/tweetthis]
[tweetthis]To Really Know Love, you must first know God’s LOVE-in you.[/tweetthis]
This is an original Drawing by an amazing artist whom I love and admire. Check out his work: http://roninron.com . I am awed by the talent God has blessed him with. Also, because it is protected under copyright, it cannot be copied or duplicated without permission.
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2017
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Featured photograph used by permission: https://unsplash.com/@freestocks