“We have come to know [by personal observation and experience], and have believed [with deep, consistent faith] the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides continually in him”
1 John 4:16 (AMP).
God is Love and Love gave birth to us, but love cannot be expressed without revelation in the knowledge of God. To truly love, you must first know God, because God is Love. Everything God has ever done was out of Love. The four Greek words for love are: Agape, Phileo, Eros and Storge. Agape is the very nature of God, for God is love. Phileo is a Greek word that means a strong affection between friends or fellow citizen. Eros is the Greek word for romantic love expressed in holy union of marriage. Storge is the love and affection that naturally occurs between parents and children, siblings and friendship (Romans 12:10).
Agape is the highest form of love and God is agape “love”. Agape can be seen from the action it prompts. Our salvation is the greatest expression of God’s love communicated to us in John 3:16: “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,” God sent Jesus Christ as a ransom; this was an act of His “agape” love. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”. Your ability to love is enabled through God’s love. Those who are born again are born of God and therefore are love being. In Galatians 5:22, we learn that an aspect of the fruit of the spirit is agape love. Agape love should be the distinctive character of the Christian life in relation to all humanity. “Beloved, if God so loved us [in this incredible way], we also ought to love one another” 1 John 4:11 (AMP). Christians are to be known for their love (agape) towards one another. Now express love in all that you do moving forward and impact your world in Jesus name.
PRAYER / CONFESSION
Dear Father, thank you for your love nature in me. I receive grace to express your character of love to my world, being patient, kind, and gentle in the name of the Lord Jesus.
WISDOM NUGGET
“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.” 1 John 4:9 (NIV).