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The God of Love

2 Corinthians 13:11-12, "Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you."

If we could only say one thing about God – it would probably be “God is love”. I John 4:8 says, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” God’s love (Agape in the Greek) is an unselfish choice for the highest good – and that is how God always chooses. Everything He does and says flows from His love and His purity, often called holiness.

On our own, we cannot love unselfishly. We all have a bent or tendency toward sin and selfishness from our very beginning, and the Bible is clear that we all sin. Psalm 14:3 says, “All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 describes God’s love (and what our love needs to look like), “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

John 3:16:17 describes a love almost beyond our comprehension, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

God loved us while we were still sinners. We understand loving those who love us, but we get confused when Jesus tells us to love our enemies: Matthew 5:43-45, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Our confusion is because we mix up the feel-good type of love with the unselfish choice kind of love. We cannot feel good about everyone, and there are people we may not like – but we can always choose the best for them, and that is exactly what God did in Christ, and still does every day for us.

Reflection: God’s love amazes us and is difficult to even comprehend. Are we beginning to see the value of knowing this loving God more deeply, and learning to grow into His character by the power of the Holy Spirit?