Love is love right? It’s all one and the same? I thought so too, but I have come to realize that there are two very different kinds of love. We like to believe that the love we have for others is selfless and pure, when really, it’s actually a gentle kind of selfishness. We only have love for things and people, because we get something in return. We want to believe that the love we have is something that just magically comes into existence with certain things or people, but it’s not like that, love ALWAYS starts somewhere.
Take for instance your spouse. You love that person dearly and he or she means the world to you, but I can guarantee you, you never would have gone on that second date with that person if you didn’t see something you like, if that person did not impress you or make you laugh or captivated you in some way. You never would have married that person if it would not have made you happy, if you would not have gained anything from the deal. That person makes you happy, makes you laugh, makes you feel safe, spends time with you, cares for you, makes you feel special and the list goes on. First you like all these things and then you start to love them, but If there was not a single thing you could get from that person, there would not even have been a friendship and if every single one of those things would disappear, love is sure to follow.
Then also think of your parents. They raise us, care for us and protects us and in that we feel the need to have them around. They taught us to laugh, talk, eat and basically every other thing we should have to do. We love the security and for most people, their parents are their heroes, they are the ones who inspire them and support them. This is what we call love. This all sounds very sad and depressing. Like this is all really pointless and there is not even a single one of us that can say we are different. It doesn’t matter how you try to look at it, it will still be the same and it’s totally normal, that’s just how it is, but there’s another kind of love, a real-life fairytale, a love so pure and so perfect, you will never find the bottom of it, you will never be able to wrap your mind around it. It goes beyond all understanding and the presence of it makes you weak in the knees. It consumes you, overwhelms you and transcends through all of existence. Without it you will be left feeling dead inside. This love has a name and it’s called Jesus Christ.
You see we didn’t do anything for His love and we can’t do anything to keep it. He is not impressed by us or needs us, neither is He entertained by us. It cannot be made stronger and we cannot make it fade. It cannot be influenced, it is perfect and pure, without any fault. The word of God teaches us that God IS love and that if we do not love then we do not know God. 1 John 4:8. The Bible is not talking about OUR kind of love, its talking about God’s kind of love, the kind of love we can only have and share because HE gave it to us, as it is written in 1 John 4:19. This way we can love without judgment, without fear, without getting anything in return. This love has sacrifice, endurance, patience and forgiveness. This love is selfless. THIS is true love.
This perfect love is free, and NOTHING can separate us from it. As It is written in Romans 8:37-39 “Now, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The more we seek God and His will, the more we apply the teachings of Jesus in our lives and the more we want to be imitators of Christ the more THIS love will fill us and change us. Then, we can love with HIS kind of love, not because it comes from us, but because it was given to us. You see, like I said before: love ALWAYS starts somewhere and this love, started in the heart of the Father.
Prayer: Father how great is Your love. We ask You today to come and wash over us with Your love and to make us new. Let us be carriers of Your love so that we might lead others to come to You. We are forever grateful, and we are nothing without You. There is no higher name, there is no greater power and You alone are worthy to be praised. Thank You Lord for Your perfect love and the sacrifice You have made. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray, amen.
God bless,
Eliezra