God has some unique character's, one among them is His love for us. Though the words "God's love" sounds common, I am sure it is worth reflecting over and over. His love means different to different people in different situations. There can be nobody in earth who can ever say that they have never tasted God's love.
God's love cannot be compared to the earthly love which we give to our husband or children or parents or siblings, because they change and is not pure. Agape is an ancient greek word which means self-sacrificing love of God for humanity. In 1 cor 13:4-7 God defines love as being patient, kind, truthful, unselfish, trusting, believing, hopeful, and enduring. It is not jealous, boastful, arrogant, rude, selfish, or angry. True love never fails. The description perfectly fits God's love towards us, and it should be the way we should love each other and God.
Some of the characteristic features of God's love are as follows:
SACRIFICIAL LOVE: "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" John3:16. Can you appreciate the sacrificial love here? Jesus was God's unique and eternal son but He was given to us just because GOD loved the world (none but us). Jesus came into this world as a normal human being, with same fresh and blood like us but the only difference was 'His greatest act of love' by giving His own life upon the cross.
UNCONDITIONAL LOVE: We do sacrifice a few things for others in this world but our love is always conditional. We expect them to do something back for us in return or will sacrifice only to a particular extent. Also we do this to people whom we know or to people whom we are forced to. This love is called phileo which we show to our brethren. 1 Peter 1:22 says "Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love [phileo] of the brethren, fervently love [agape] one another from the heart". Bible itself speaks of the different love existing in us. God's unconditional love is upon everybody (believers or non-believers), not based on familiarity or compulsion.
NON-PARTIAL LOVE: God created all kinds and colors of people. Some are tall, some are short, some are dark and some are light. He created us in such a way not for being partial but to love the difference. We are all special to God and He is not partial to anybody. He loves you as you are! He wants us to reciprocate the same kind of love to others. In Mt 22:39, He commands "Love your neighbour as you love yourself" and again in Mt 5:44 He commands "Love your enemies". These are given to us as commands and not as option like 'if you wish you love your neighour or enemy'.
UNCHANGING LOVE: People change from time to time, getting along with the world around them. And their love to their fellow beings also changes depending upon the situations and circumstances. It all depends on how other people behave toward us. But remember God loved us as sinners(Rom5:8). Jesus christ is the same yesterday, today and forever(Heb13:8) and His love never change to moods.
FORGIVING LOVE: God forgives because of His loving nature. He wants us also to forgive and love others for what so ever they could have done to us. This is best described from the parable of the prodigal son Luke15:11-32. For many of us it may sound unfair but we cannot judge God. If God was fair both the sons will go to hell. God judges the heart and forgives all sin because of His outrageous love.
ENDURING LOVE: God's love is enduring from generation to generation. Deut 7:9 says Lord keeps His covanent of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. He even spares the life of Isrealites whey they disobeyed Him for the covanent of love He made with the ancestors. 1 Chr16:34 says, "Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever".
UNFAILING LOVE: God's love never fails because it is true and pure. David puts his trust in the Lord because of His unfailing love. Ps 13:5, 21:7, 31:16,52:8 describes the unfailing love of God. When we obey His commands like David, God will surely shower His unfailing love on us as He did to David.
INCOMPARABLE LOVE: We all know our parents or our spouse love us so much. Bible says, will someone give you a snake when you ask him a fish, or will your parent's give a stone for you to eat? When our earthly parents can love us so much, you can imagine howmuch our heavenly father will love us and care for us. Ps 27:10 tells, even if your father and mother forsake you, God will recieve you. His love cannot be compared with anyone else's love.
SELFLESS LOVE: Christ came to this world to lead a selfless life. He din't have a home or saved any riches when He was on earth, He went around healing sick people and forgiving sinners. He even washed His disciples feet. His selfless love is well depicted on the cross. He knew He is going to give His life for us even before He was born but still He chose to come because of this selfless love.
God's love can be expressed in many other terms like wonderful love, faithful love, divine love, thoughtful love...and it completely different from carnal love. Carnal love comes by shooting arrows on a person and telling him/her to fall in love, it does'nt come from the heart and hence it is the opposite of God's love. God's love has no borders and it is beyond reasoning. But luckily God's love can be taught, Titus 2:3,4 says "older women are to teach the younger women to love their husbands, to love their children."
God is love, whoever loves one another knows God and whoever does not love does not know God (1 John4:7,8). Love one another and know God personally. You own Him the way He owns you for for the Bible says "He has carved you in the palm of His hand". If He has a wallet He will definitely have your photo there because He loves you very dearly.
God's love cannot be compared to the earthly love which we give to our husband or children or parents or siblings, because they change and is not pure. Agape is an ancient greek word which means self-sacrificing love of God for humanity. In 1 cor 13:4-7 God defines love as being patient, kind, truthful, unselfish, trusting, believing, hopeful, and enduring. It is not jealous, boastful, arrogant, rude, selfish, or angry. True love never fails. The description perfectly fits God's love towards us, and it should be the way we should love each other and God.
Some of the characteristic features of God's love are as follows:
SACRIFICIAL LOVE: "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" John3:16. Can you appreciate the sacrificial love here? Jesus was God's unique and eternal son but He was given to us just because GOD loved the world (none but us). Jesus came into this world as a normal human being, with same fresh and blood like us but the only difference was 'His greatest act of love' by giving His own life upon the cross.
UNCONDITIONAL LOVE: We do sacrifice a few things for others in this world but our love is always conditional. We expect them to do something back for us in return or will sacrifice only to a particular extent. Also we do this to people whom we know or to people whom we are forced to. This love is called phileo which we show to our brethren. 1 Peter 1:22 says "Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love [phileo] of the brethren, fervently love [agape] one another from the heart". Bible itself speaks of the different love existing in us. God's unconditional love is upon everybody (believers or non-believers), not based on familiarity or compulsion.
NON-PARTIAL LOVE: God created all kinds and colors of people. Some are tall, some are short, some are dark and some are light. He created us in such a way not for being partial but to love the difference. We are all special to God and He is not partial to anybody. He loves you as you are! He wants us to reciprocate the same kind of love to others. In Mt 22:39, He commands "Love your neighbour as you love yourself" and again in Mt 5:44 He commands "Love your enemies". These are given to us as commands and not as option like 'if you wish you love your neighour or enemy'.
UNCHANGING LOVE: People change from time to time, getting along with the world around them. And their love to their fellow beings also changes depending upon the situations and circumstances. It all depends on how other people behave toward us. But remember God loved us as sinners(Rom5:8). Jesus christ is the same yesterday, today and forever(Heb13:8) and His love never change to moods.
FORGIVING LOVE: God forgives because of His loving nature. He wants us also to forgive and love others for what so ever they could have done to us. This is best described from the parable of the prodigal son Luke15:11-32. For many of us it may sound unfair but we cannot judge God. If God was fair both the sons will go to hell. God judges the heart and forgives all sin because of His outrageous love.
ENDURING LOVE: God's love is enduring from generation to generation. Deut 7:9 says Lord keeps His covanent of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. He even spares the life of Isrealites whey they disobeyed Him for the covanent of love He made with the ancestors. 1 Chr16:34 says, "Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever".
UNFAILING LOVE: God's love never fails because it is true and pure. David puts his trust in the Lord because of His unfailing love. Ps 13:5, 21:7, 31:16,52:8 describes the unfailing love of God. When we obey His commands like David, God will surely shower His unfailing love on us as He did to David.
INCOMPARABLE LOVE: We all know our parents or our spouse love us so much. Bible says, will someone give you a snake when you ask him a fish, or will your parent's give a stone for you to eat? When our earthly parents can love us so much, you can imagine howmuch our heavenly father will love us and care for us. Ps 27:10 tells, even if your father and mother forsake you, God will recieve you. His love cannot be compared with anyone else's love.
SELFLESS LOVE: Christ came to this world to lead a selfless life. He din't have a home or saved any riches when He was on earth, He went around healing sick people and forgiving sinners. He even washed His disciples feet. His selfless love is well depicted on the cross. He knew He is going to give His life for us even before He was born but still He chose to come because of this selfless love.
God's love can be expressed in many other terms like wonderful love, faithful love, divine love, thoughtful love...and it completely different from carnal love. Carnal love comes by shooting arrows on a person and telling him/her to fall in love, it does'nt come from the heart and hence it is the opposite of God's love. God's love has no borders and it is beyond reasoning. But luckily God's love can be taught, Titus 2:3,4 says "older women are to teach the younger women to love their husbands, to love their children."
God is love, whoever loves one another knows God and whoever does not love does not know God (1 John4:7,8). Love one another and know God personally. You own Him the way He owns you for for the Bible says "He has carved you in the palm of His hand". If He has a wallet He will definitely have your photo there because He loves you very dearly.
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