Love

“One of [the Pharisees], and expert in the law, tested him with this question: ‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’
Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’”

Our love for God is given priority. Even as we are called to love others, we will love them best by first loving God. His love transforms us. To love Him will be to obey Him, and through obedience and surrender, we can love others more purely because our hearts are sanctified and at peace.

And then we see the second commandment. The one Jesus so clearly portrayed in his life on earth. It is honoring to God and touches his heart like no other offering we set forth. It is love for others. Do we struggle with that request? Are we ever empty? Then let us ask God for His agape love to fill our hearts for those we deem unlovable. This is the greatest call of all: to love. It is the purest motivation for service and the most pleasing act we can perform as humans.

Paul lived as a servant and followed the man who was and is the Lord. He came to see that all our works, and even the good intentions of our hearts fall to the ground next to the cross, if we did not love. But in fact, if we love, we will act.

There are almost as many references in the Bible for the word Love as for the word Lord. It is neatly curious to consider the connection between John 3:16, in which we clearly see the purest form of God’s love, and that of 1 John 3:16, through which we see the other side of love.
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”

In a world that searches for concrete answers for every question, here is one truth we know: love is never wrong. Should we serve out of love, that service will not be wasted. Should we give or go, restrain or act – if it is with love, it is honorable to Him and for the greater good of people.
John also tells us love drives out fear. Here is the road to freedom. Love is from God, and He does not give a Spirit of fear, but of love. He has freed us through his love. It frees us to live and dance and love others joyfully.