The Love of God

Valentine’s Day is universally observed on 14th February. This may be a good time for the young man to send his girl-friend a lovely bouquet of flowers, even if it costs more this time of the year! Or it may be the opportune moment to have a romantic dinner by candlelight in a restaurant! What about sending a Valentine card expressing sentiments of an amorous and sentimental nature? Or a trip to Sentosa island to spend the evening.

Love is the most used and perhaps the most abused words in our vocabulary. It may describe the intense affection between two people who have fallen in love. It could be the description of friendship like David and Jonathan in the Bible. Good to see family members loving and caring for each other. Fondness, relationship ties, sharing the same chemistry or emotional love is not out of place, however, such love cannot compare with the love of God.

Much of the love we talk about today cannot survive without reciprocity. It is often conditional and mercurial. This is seen in the number of broken marriages when couples fall out with each other. The media reports of family breakups which sometimes end up in court.

When we ask the question to some of the people we minister to,“Is there a song you want us to sing today?” The response is invariably “Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so.” I am not referring to Sunday School or Children’s meeting, but to the chapel service that we conduct every Tuesday at The Salvation Army Peacehaven Nursing Home. The congregation comprises the elderly, the handicapped, the blind, the deaf, the wheelchair bound – all with some form of infirmity. Some can recall the song they learned during childhood days.Someone remarked, “Everything I need to know about theology I learned from this song. ‘Jesus loves me.’” It has been translated into many languages and is universally loved.

“For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3: 16.) “God is love.” (1 John 4: 8) It is surely to us a mystery we cannot fully comprehend - how He could send his only Son into the world to die for our sins.

The word ‘love’ in the English language is used to describe four different words in the Greek. When it refers to God the word ‘agape’ is applied. God’s love transcends human love. It is unconditional and not based on merit, feelings or emotions. We are loved not because we are lovable, good or deserving. God loves because it is inherent in His nature. He created and redeemed us so that we can have this loving relationship with Him.

How are we to respond to God’s love? We do so by first of all accepting this gift of love and then honouring, loving and worshipping Him. God is worthy of our adoration and praise. We are to heed and obey His teaching. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and all your strength and with all your mind” and “Love your neighbour as yourself.” (Luke 10: 27)

Receiving the love of Jesus and living in His love everyday, is the first and most essential step we all need to take. Accept the wonderful, undeniable truth that Jesus loves you, then draw close to Him and allowing Him to pour His love into your heart. “Greater love has no one than this, that He lay down His life for His friends.” (John 15: 13)

Love has the vertical and horizontal dimensions. The vertical extends to our Lord and the horizontal to our fellowmen. It is imperative that once we have accepted God’s love we are to heed His command to love others. Our Lord was specific when He said, “My command is this: love each other as I have love you (John 15: 12). We cannot limit the scope or intensity of our love.

Christian love is the reflection of God’s love expressed in that word ‘agape’. It is undeserved love. “God demonstrates His own love for us in this” While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5: 8.

(This article is printed in the February issue of The War Cry - Singapore/Malaysia/Myanmar Territory)