A Unfailing Love
The word love is such a powerful word, and often times is very vague. When asking people what love means to them, often times they have a hard time describing this word, and use phrases such as a feeling I have when I'm around someone, like butterflies in my stomach. Often times the word love is taken out of context and is used freely. People may say they love a certain movie, song, activity, or even use it loosely when it comes to friendships and relationships. When I was working with an adolescent student who constantly used the word love in a relationship she has with an adolescent male at her school, I challenged this student on what love means to her, and how did she know this was love she had for this male student. As this student struggled to describe what love means to her, she could only think of how this male student makes her feel and what he does for her. As I thought about how this student described love to me, it made me think about God's love for me and others. You see we did nothing to earn God's love, no good deed or feeling we have can make God love us, but despite our sinful ways, and often times not showing God the rightful love He deserves He love us anyways, and that is such wonderful news.
All throughout the Bible, from the Old Testament to the New Testament God demonstrates and shows His love for His children. In 1 Kings 8, King Solomon could be found praising and praying to God throughout much of this chapter. Solomon was able to lead his men in bringing back the Ark of the Lord's Covenant to God's Temple in Israel. Once successful Solomon begin to pray to God. In verse 23 of 1 Kings 8 Solomon prayed; “O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like you in all of heaven above or on the earth below. You keep your covenant and show unfailing love to all who walk before you in wholehearted devotion." The book of Numbers 14:18 also demonstrates God's love for His people; “The Lord is slow to anger and filled with unfailing love, forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion. But He does not excuse the guilty." In both of these verse a very important word stood out me as I thought about God's love compared to humans’ love. This word is unfailing. You see God's love is unfailing no matter what we do God will continue to love us through it all. His love is unchanging as it last until the end of the days, and beyond. God's love will never fail us or let us down. When it seems that we are not loved by others on this earth, God's love is always with us, never failing us. God wants us to know that His love is unfailing and always there for us. I have recently started a study of the word love used in the Bible. I have read eleven verses concerning God's love, out of these eleven verses God mentions that His love is unfailing seven times. This shows me even more that God wants us to know that His love is in fact unfailing.
Not only does God talk about His love for us, but He demonstrated His love in the biggest way possible to us, by allowing His son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for us, forgiving our sins (Matthew: 45-56). That means that love is more than merely a feeling or saying the word love, but love is action. All throughout the Bible, God showed His love through actions, by protecting, providing, healing, and speaking to His people. Every day and every moment towards God and towards others or actions need to be showing love.
So I ask you today, how do you describe love, and in what context are you using love? I challenge myself and others to go out and show love to others, through our words and our actions.
With Love
Courtney Evans
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