Love is the perfect bond of unity. Can anything exist and survive without love? Is there any existence without love?
Let us love one another, because love is from God ( 1 Jn. 4:7). Through Christ's humility the love of God was manifested in us, in that we live through Him (1 Jn. 4:9). And my dear brethren, we did not love because we knew what love was or how to love, no we love because our Lord sent His Son to die as the sacrifice for the deeds we had done (1 Jn. 4:10). And this is true: if we love one another God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us...it runs its full course into maturity (1 Jn. 4:12). There is no fear in love--no dread or anxieties--but love, the kind that is full-grown, complete, grounded in Christ, turns fear out and expels every trace of terror (1 Jn. 4:18). The idea of fear in love shows that the love who fears is not yet made complete, because fear [in love] has to do with punishment and those who fear in love have not yet reached their full maturity in love (1 Jn. 4:18).
What is love? What is the sacrifice of love? When you give in love do you give in the abundance which you have stored up, (essentially) saving some for yourself? Or do you give everything, even to your last penny that you had to live on? Which is the sacrifice of love? (Mk. 12:41-44)
Is there any greater topic, any greater discussion in the world than that of love? Love that which our Perfect Divine has so graciously blessed us with and given us the faculities to love the same...
Love is refining...it is defining. When we love truest and purest, love covers a multitude of sins (Prov. 10:12). Our Lord delights in love unchanging (Mic. 7:18)...love that is pure, unselfish, giving, a reflection of His very own compassion and ceased anger toward us. He showed this display of love in Christ, and tells us that in the same way, God demonstrated His love for us that while we were sinners Christ died for us (Ro. 5:8), inasmuch greater love has no one than this: to lay down his life for his friend (Jn. 15:13).
Pursue love (1 Cor. 14:11). Above all else, love one another, love the Father, love your neighbor, love yourself, love your wife, love your husband. Feverently love one another out of the purity of your heart (1 Pe. 1:22). If we have not love then our living has sounded like an annoying, useless noisy gong or clanging cymbal (1 Cor. 13:1). So then, put on love.
If you have the gift of prophecy and know the mysteries and knowledge, but no love then it is worthless. If your have faith to move mountains, but no love, then you are nothing. If you give all you have to the poor and offer yourself as a sacrifice, but still no love...then all of that profits you nothing (1 Cor. 13:1-3).
Love is great...beyond great. It is the pinnacle of all living, it is the mark of a full life. Love is beauty, and beauty is truth. And as Keats has said that's all you need and all you need to know. Life is summed up in all its majestic forms and paths in one overused and misunderstood four-letter word: LOVE.
So, take note:
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, 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.
Now take hope with you...
Love never fails.
Know this and know love. Live this and live love.
Love is as strong as death...
many waters cannot quench love, neither can
floods drown it.
Song of Songs 8:6a, 7a
Let us love one another, because love is from God ( 1 Jn. 4:7). Through Christ's humility the love of God was manifested in us, in that we live through Him (1 Jn. 4:9). And my dear brethren, we did not love because we knew what love was or how to love, no we love because our Lord sent His Son to die as the sacrifice for the deeds we had done (1 Jn. 4:10). And this is true: if we love one another God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us...it runs its full course into maturity (1 Jn. 4:12). There is no fear in love--no dread or anxieties--but love, the kind that is full-grown, complete, grounded in Christ, turns fear out and expels every trace of terror (1 Jn. 4:18). The idea of fear in love shows that the love who fears is not yet made complete, because fear [in love] has to do with punishment and those who fear in love have not yet reached their full maturity in love (1 Jn. 4:18).
What is love? What is the sacrifice of love? When you give in love do you give in the abundance which you have stored up, (essentially) saving some for yourself? Or do you give everything, even to your last penny that you had to live on? Which is the sacrifice of love? (Mk. 12:41-44)
Is there any greater topic, any greater discussion in the world than that of love? Love that which our Perfect Divine has so graciously blessed us with and given us the faculities to love the same...
Love is refining...it is defining. When we love truest and purest, love covers a multitude of sins (Prov. 10:12). Our Lord delights in love unchanging (Mic. 7:18)...love that is pure, unselfish, giving, a reflection of His very own compassion and ceased anger toward us. He showed this display of love in Christ, and tells us that in the same way, God demonstrated His love for us that while we were sinners Christ died for us (Ro. 5:8), inasmuch greater love has no one than this: to lay down his life for his friend (Jn. 15:13).
Pursue love (1 Cor. 14:11). Above all else, love one another, love the Father, love your neighbor, love yourself, love your wife, love your husband. Feverently love one another out of the purity of your heart (1 Pe. 1:22). If we have not love then our living has sounded like an annoying, useless noisy gong or clanging cymbal (1 Cor. 13:1). So then, put on love.
If you have the gift of prophecy and know the mysteries and knowledge, but no love then it is worthless. If your have faith to move mountains, but no love, then you are nothing. If you give all you have to the poor and offer yourself as a sacrifice, but still no love...then all of that profits you nothing (1 Cor. 13:1-3).
Love is great...beyond great. It is the pinnacle of all living, it is the mark of a full life. Love is beauty, and beauty is truth. And as Keats has said that's all you need and all you need to know. Life is summed up in all its majestic forms and paths in one overused and misunderstood four-letter word: LOVE.
So, take note:
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, 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.
Now take hope with you...
Love never fails.
Know this and know love. Live this and live love.
Love is as strong as death...
many waters cannot quench love, neither can
floods drown it.
Song of Songs 8:6a, 7a
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