That Love Feeling

My husband designed this.  It is for the pastor's new sermon series.  It wasn't used though... too Valentiney.  We both knew he was right.  After listening to the message on Sunday, Valentine was definitely not it.

Isn't that what we think of when we hear the word "Love"?  Or love may inspire images of favorite food, book, music and so on. 

Isn't that just like man?  To cheapen something deep and Holy driven for our own personal fleshly fulfillment?  I am guilty of it... we all are. 

However, true LOVE is more than a feeling.  If I based my love for my husband on how I felt... I can tell you with great certainty, half of our marriage has not been spent in "love"! 

Love, perhaps, as an action.  We can show love in how we act towards others.  But, no, that isn't it either.  We don't always feel like showing it.  How do you get consistent, deep and true LOVE?

The image of love has one thing right:  Hearts.

I say that because love should generate from our very core.  Not as a feeling, but as a fulfillment. 

Our hearts should be driven by the Holy Spirit.  All we do should be measured against our Savior and His great love revealed to us.  If we do not begin at the heart, all we do 'in love' is no more than empty motions which will eventually fade away.

If you are a follower of Christ Jesus, it makes no difference whether you are circumcised or not. All that matters is your faith that makes you love others. 

- Galatians 5:6 (CEV)

How many of us step out and do because it is the right thing?  Not because it is a heart thing.  How many of us step out and do because we seek man's approval and reward?  Not because we seek to be relational and approved by God?

What if we took 1 Corinthians 13 seriously?  Consider, if you don't live a life of love...
... nothing we say will  matter
... nothing we know will matter
... nothing we believe will matter
... nothing we give will matter
and worst of all....
... nothing we accomplish will matter

All things we do, work, family, teaching... everything... needs to be motivated by love.  Not that fluffy, happy, fun feeling of love.  NO, the ready to get my hands dirty-be subject to my faith-reflect the nature of God kind of love.  The kind of love that doesn't care what others think of us but rather what they think of God as the result of us.

That's love.

Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that. 

- Ephesians 5:1-2 (Mes)

The sermon series goes for 5 more weeks.  I am looking forward to the challenges of truly understanding God's heart for us to love.  And not the pink-and-red-lace-doily kind of love.  No, the Rise to HIS greatness kind!

Will you take the 1 Corinthians 13 challenge with me?  Read it every day (or at least once a week) and be transformed by God's heart for ours.

Many blessings to you this week as you walk in His Word and live on Monday what you hear on Sunday.

God Bless,