By Ken Wakefield, Pastor, Lewisville Bible Church
In a world where relationships seem to be a disposable commodity, a celebration of ‘love’ on Valentine’s Day can also be a token gesture to a fleeting feeling, to a relationship that is here today and gone tomorrow.
So, what does it mean to love someone else?
It has been shown that one of humanity’s greatest need is to love and to be loved! For some people, love is merely an emotion, a feeling which warms us and excites us, which strengthens us, encourages us, or charms us. While this is good, if love is based only on feeling you will find yourself falling in and out of love repeatedly. This type of love will leave you empty and going from relationship to relationship. Is there another way to define love? Is there another way for us to love one another?
God says there is! God says that love is practical– it involves real compassion, a seeking to meet the needs of others in tangible ways.
Love involves sacrifice– being willing to let go of our plans, our desires, for the benefit of the one we love.
Love is a choice– a commitment we need to make daily as we wake up and reaffirm our commitment to our spouse, our children our friends.
Love is also an action– it is not enough to say “I love you!” We also need to demonstrate it. God did this for us. “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son….” He gave all for our benefit, to meet our deepest need and to leave us an example.
The Bible tells us, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for a friend….” Jesus did that for us!
What must I do with a God who says, “I love you!?” Must I give Him something? No, there is only one thing to do. Receive this gift of love simply by faith in Jesus Christ. He is the God who longs to fill our lives and our days with the wealth of His presence. He is a God who cherishes our companionship!
The Pastor’s Place features columns written by a different area church leader each month. Call 940-728-8284 for more information.
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