God's Love - by Anna

     Welcome to TAJ! As we enter the month of February (can you believe how time flies?!), many people start to think about Valentine's Day. And since Valentine's Day is all about love (mostly) I thought now would be a good time to think about God's love for us, and how we are supposed to express love (not necessarily romantic) to each other.

     Our family doesn't really do anything special for Valentine's Day. Sometimes we get a little chocolate or something, but it's normally just life as usual. I'm fine with that, I don't really care that much. XD But a lot of people (not in my circles, usually) get really caught up with the whole sending valentines and flowers and chocolate and love, etc.

     I was thinking about God and love, and these verses popped into my head: "The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love." (1 John 4:8) and "We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him." (1 John 4:16)

     Obviously, from these verses, God is love. It is one of His attributes (along with holiness, righteousness, justice, etc.). Since God is perfect, His love must be perfect. What better way to learn about love than to look at the One who is love!?

     So! On that vein, here's some Bible verses that have to do with God's love for us, and then how we should love

How does God love?

Romans 8:37-39

     But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 John 4:9-11

     By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

How are we supposed to love?

John 13:34-35

     A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Matthew 5:43-47

     “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

1 Corinthians 13:1-8a
Love is patient, love is kind and is no 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.

     Quick trivia: did you know that there are multiple words for love in the Greek language? Here's two that are most commonly used in the Bible.

Agape - ἀγάπη
Agape love is a selfless love. It will do anything for the person (or thing) it loves and is unconditional. It's the kind of love that mothers would have for their children and that God has for us. All the verses above use agape.

Philia - φιλία
Philia love is a friendship love, the kind of love you would have towards a friend. It isn't selfless, and usually expects something from the object of its love. You probably know about the city of Philadelphia. See philia in there? Philadelphia means 'city of brotherly love'.

     Now that you know some Greek, take time to look over the verses above and reflect on God's love as we draw near to Valentine's Day. I hope it makes you truly thankful for the One who loved you enough to suffer and die on the cross.

     If you want to learn more in preparation for Valentine's Day, check out this list of verses (I pulled most of mine from it) and consider listening to this sermon series by John MacArthur. It's great!