God is Love!

"And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:16 KJV)

Happy Valentine's Day!

The day the world celebrates its definition of love. In fact, I bought my beautiful bride a dozen roses. I feel so blessed that God has brought her into my life! I won the "wonderful woman lottery" the day I married her over 44 years ago!

The Greatest Thing! 

By the way, last week I was in a shopping mall in Seattle with Susan. She was looking for a dress to wear at our youngest son, Mark's, upcoming wedding. In one store I got into a brief conversation with the young salesclerk who was waiting on us. At one point in the conversation I told her that the greatest thing you can have in your life is God. Then she quickly replied, "No! The greatest thing you can have in your life is 'love!'" I said, "You are absolutely correct! But, did you know that the Bible says that 'God IS love!'? And, to have 'real love' in your life, you would have to have God in your life!"

I could tell immediately that I had not reached the salesclerk with my definition of love! Because she immediately shrunk back and quickly stepped away from me. I sometimes scare people like that.

Most Get It Wrong!

But, I am not really surprised at the salesclerk's reaction because most people get the definition of love wrong! The Bible does make it clear that God IS love. And, that he loved us so much that He gave Jesus to redeem us (John 3:16-17). And love is defined clearly in 1 Cor. 13 (TLB), "love is patient, love is kind, love is never envious, never haughty, is never selfish, and it is never rude. Love never demands its own way! That is the way God is toward us! And that is how we should behave toward others! We can be like that when we learn how to make our life reflect Jesus! The last part of the verse at the top says it this way: "Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." And that is a wonderful and powerful promise, indeed!