Deeply Loved #3

Where Does Love Come From?

     As I keep on sharing this "Deeply Loved" series on this  blog, it seems the obvious question for Christ-Followers is, "Where does love come from?" First, it is something that God wants to ensure that His children have.  In Deuteronomy 30:6 the Word tells us, "The Lord your God will transform your heart, and the heart of your descendants so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and so that you will live."  So it's pretty clear that love does not originate from the human heart, it is transplanted there by our Creator, if we want it.  So, it begins with a promise from God to be given to the people of God.  In other words we can't have love apart from the Creator providing it for us.

   Secondly,  not only is love a promise to those who are in relationship with God, it absolutely comes from the Creator to be shared with others by choice. John talks about how this works in 1 John 4:7-8:  "Beloved let us love one another for love is from God, and everyone that loves is born of God and knows God. The one that does not love does not know God for God is love."  This tells us that the source of love is God, and that love is something that comes from our relationship with God.  And it is something we choose to give away, as a result of being in relationship with THE ONE who IS love. There is no way to truly love apart from  a relationship with God through Jesus who is the Christ.

     I will say more about this in another blog, but suffice it to say, if we are in a relationship or need to give God's love away to those who, in our view, are unlovely, it is important to realize that love is MORE than just a feeling. Feelings follow thoughts and thoughts follow feelings. They are also affected by foods we eat and drinks we drink ... not to mention other things.  Simply put, love is a choice we make, after we ask and trust the Creator to give us love to share through faith in Jesus.  It all comes from God's package of supplying love: God IS love.  You and I are to come to Him to receive that love.  And we are to then be empowered to give it away by choice. If we don't receive it and choose to give it away, this is a good indicator that our relationship with God needs surrender to God's grace.  Why? Because the one that does NOT love does NOT even know  God.

    The good news about all this is we don't have to come up with the stuff to be enough on our own.  We simply need to cry out to the Lord to give us what we need to be loved and give it away. God will take care of the rest.

SoJourner

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