We are told to love.
Love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. (Mark 12:30)
Love our enemies. (Matthew 5:44)
Love our neighbors as ourselves. (Mark 12:31)
Love fellow believers, just as Christ has loved us. (John 15:12)
These are high standards.
Many, many Bible verses, sermons, and books discuss love. These may provide helpful details, but at the core, we need to think about:
- Deciding to love.
- Acting in accordance with our love.
Love Decides
Love is an intentional decision, a commitment to God and others. It has a permanent, authentic ring, and is not whimsical or momentary. The decision to love is fundamental. It is a choice.
Love Acts
The Bible links love with action.
In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the prophets. (Matthew 7:12)
While we have the opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially those who are of the household of the faith. (Galatians 6:10)
Unless there are loving actions, it is impossible to detect someone’s love.
Love Feels
There are emotions associated with love. While we cannot force ourselves to feel giddy with love, at the same time, God commands emotions: rejoice, for example.
The decision to love is independent of feelings…you aren’t apt to love your enemy because of your warm emotions towards him or her, for example. But we are commanded to love our enemies.
And acting out of love doesn’t require emotions of love either. In fact, you may express your love most deeply when positive feelings are absent.
The phrase: “falling out of love,” generally means the feelings of romantic love are gone. Too often, a marriage fails because the couple relied on emotions rather than the decision, the commitment, to love each other.
How do we measure up?
Have we decided to love God? Our enemies? Our neighbors? Fellow believers? Is the decision final? Or contingent on some behavior of others?
Do we act on our love towards God? Our enemies? Our neighbors? Fellow believers? What have we done in the last few weeks? Do we have plans for the future that will express our love?
Pray
Pray for the Lord to show you where you have and have not made correct decisions to love.
Pray that He will show you how to act in love, and to whom.
Pray that He will give you the correct feelings to support and reinforce your decisions and actions.
