I was reading about love tonight in the Bible. This is really just going to be a conglomeration of some verses that really stood out to me.
“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” I John 4:16
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” I John 4:18 kjv
Let’s read that last one in the Amplified Version:
“There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love's complete perfection].” I John 4:18 Amplified
“For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.” I John 3:11
“And this is His commandment, that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love on another, as He gave us commandment.” I John 3:23
“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” I John 4: 7-8
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” I John 4:11
“And thou shalt love the Lord they God with all they heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31
“A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love on another; as I have loved you, that you also love on another.” John 13:34
“Owe no many any thing, but to love on another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” Romans 13:8
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love . . . ” Galatians 5:22a
That is only a small smattering of the verses I could have cited here . . . but it makes it pretty obvious that love is important. It is vital.
But what is love?
“Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.” I Corinthians 13:4-8
There’s what love is. Do I love? Does that describe me?
Grace is patient, Grace is kind and is not jealous; Grace does not brag and is not arrogant, [Grace] does not act unbecomingly; [she] does not seek [her] own, [she is] not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; [Grace] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Uh . . . *gulp*
I’m still so lacking in such a vital area. Oh! that I would truly love with God’s love! That true love would be a fruit of my life! I fall so far short.
Lord, teach me to love!
