I had promised myself I’d be done with the topic of loveafter 11 weeks on 1 Corinthians 13, but my curiosity has led me to exploreanother perspective. In leading up to Easter, I wanted to write about God. Onething we all know about God is that “God is Love” (1 John 4:8).That is straight out of the Bible, so that prompted me to do a search to findout when the first use of the word love occurs in the Bible. Boy was Isurprised! Of course it depends on the translation, but in the NIV, the firsttime love is mentioned is in the context of having sex (I guess I have yourattention now!). Adam made love to his wife, then Cain made love to his wife,then Adam made love to his wife again! Throughout the book of Genesis, love isreferenced in relationships—Abraham and Sarah, Abraham and Isaac, Isaac andRebekah, Isaac and Esau, Rebekah and Jacob, Jacob and Rachel, Jacob/Israel andJoseph. There is also a reference to Jacob’s love of meat. The first referenceI found for God’s love was when Moses claimed God’s love for his people afterGod parted the Red Sea so they could escape from Egypt. “In your unfailing love you will lead thepeople you have redeemed” (Exodus 15:13 NIV). But, note that the KJV substitutes “mercy” forunfailing love and the ESV substitutes “kindness.”

You may recall that in the Chaplain’s corner for January 16 Iincluded a definition of love, as follows: TheGreek language has at least four words for “love:” Eros (sexual love), philia(brotherly love and affection), storge (family love), and agape love. Agapelove is the type of love that is described in 1 Corinthians, and is sometimestranslated “charity.” It is a “self-giving love that loves without demanding orexpecting repayment. It is a love so great that can be given to the unlovableor unappealing. It gives because it loves; it does not love in order toreceive. It has much to do with self-denial for the sake of another.”*

What all of this leads me to believe about God’s love for usis that it is a love that is explained by what he does for us more than how hefeels or what he says. In observing and benefitting from his actions, we thenknow that he is, indeed, love.

God is Creator. He is sovereign. He is just. He is holy,holy, holy. There is none like Him. God didn’t have to make us, but He did. Hedidn’t have to make us in his image, but He did. He didn’t have to breathe His lifeinto us, but He did. He didn’t have to provide a covering for us when wedisobeyed–first of animal skins and then of the blood of the lamb and then ofthe blood of the Lamb–but He did. This is how He showed His love for us. Hedidn’t have to express it in words, although the writers in the Bible who wroteof God’s love were certainly inspired by Him. His actions are more than enoughto demonstrate his great love for us.

In the weeks leading up to Easter Sunday, let us remember howgreat is our God, and how great is His love for us. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begottenSon, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlastinglife” (John 3:16).

*Words in quotes from this reference: https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/StudyGuide2017-1Cr/1Cr-13.cfm

In Christ,

Judy