What Is Love?

I know that for 99.9% of us, 10 songs came to mind. Over 75% of the Popular chart-topping songs are about Love. They vary widely in rhythm, singing style, instruments, and target audience. Although, if you listen to the songs, they all probably have their own definitions of what love looks like. Which leads to my main point, if we all have different opinions, thoughts, connotations, and desires for love; what is it really? After many years of personal reflection, I believe it’s more about who than what.

To provide some context to what I’m talking about, I have a verse from 1 Corinthians 13:4 “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up”. In case you did not know, Corinthians is highly quoted for its description of what love actually looks like for a believer. It’s heavenly quoted at celebrations of love like weddings. I say this to say that it sheds light on what Love looks like. You’ll notice it says “charity” and not love. I researched and found that in the KJV the translators wanted to emphasize God’s love for us. They wanted to show just how great his care is and the importance of showing us that he loves us as a father does. In the Hebrew, the original language of the Old Testament charity is translated as “agape”. This means: a pure, selfless, and active love for God and others that moves people to show deep goodwill and practical kindness. So, as we roam this world with a million different definitions of love, here is the one that reveals truth. 

I say this knowing that many (including myself) , have gone looking for Love and affection in the wrong places. I would do as many teenagers do and date, distract myself with social media, and keep myself EXTREMELY busy so that I wouldn’t overthink. I don’t believe God calls us to live a life restless and tormented by unanswered questions. ESPECIALLY something so vital to the essence of who God is. Once you insert the definition of charity/ “agape” into one of the most famous and vital verses in the Bible: John 3:16, it all starts to make sense. It declares “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Beautifully showing how the Father sacrificed his only begotten(uncreated&divine) Son for all of his children he adopts (Ephesians 1:5). God is truly a poet and possesses so many layers in his divinely authored writings. 

I yearned to give context to what this so misrepresented word “Love” was meant to be from the very beginning. We are called to agape God with all of our being (Deuteronomy 6:5) as he agapao(loved) us. In response to this revelation of love, we are commanded to agape our neighbors as God loves us. It is a cyclical, never-ending loop. Our Vertical relationship should teach us everything we need to know about our horizontal relationships!. I wanted to speak to the broken in heart, the hopeless in the soul, and the one who vowed to never let themselves be hurt again. Although these responses seem like reasonable promises to protect ourselves from future hurt, they lead us into cycles of torment and heaviness. When there is a God who declares that his burden is light, and his yoke is easy (Matthew 11:30). He also states that he yearns for us to receive his eternal rest (Matthew 11:28). I know firsthand that the work of reversing and healing unforgiveness is treacherous and painful. It can feel like it never gets to the end. It will only feel that way if we hold onto it all as if we are capable of doing any of this without something(better yet someone), who is far greater than what we can imagine.

In these last few months, I encourage you to be kind to yourselves, rest in his presence, let the Father tell you about yourself!. He quite literally knows every hair that is on your head and the number of rocks in every body of water (Matthew 10:30). I want to emphasize above all else, none of this is possible without making the Lord your Savior and believing the all-encompassing act of Love Jesus Christ did on the cross and truly believing it in your heart. I’ll leave a prayer below to begin your Christian journey /repositioning if you need the reminder. Now, can you honestly say that Jesus Loves You feels like an empty statement?

The prayer: “”Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and need your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ died for my sins and rose again. Right now, I turn from my sins and invite Jesus to come into my heart as my Lord and Savior. Thank you for eternal life. Amen.”