When you hear “God is Love,” what images come to mind? A father hugging a son, an old rugged cross, or a babe in a manger? Is it a shepherd carrying a sheep across his shoulders, a child in Jesus’ lap, or Earth held in God’s hands? These are familiar images, but when we stop to think about it, what really is God’s love, and what does it mean to be love?
When the Apostle John wrote, “God is Love,” he was not suggesting this was God’s only attribute (1 John 4:8). If God is literally love, we could infer that love is God. They are not co-equal. We worship God, not love. Instead, “God is Love” means that love is an essential attribute of God, something true of God, but it is not all there is to God. It is in Him, a central part of His character, permeating His essence and undergirding His being.
It is through the knowledge of God’s other attributes that we can appreciate how great is His love:
- God is self-existent, eternal, so His love has no beginning or end (Genesis 21:33).
- God is infinite, limitless, so His love is boundless in form (Psalm 90:2).
- God is Holy, so His love is pure and undefiled (Isaiah 6:3).
- God is faithful, so His love never fails (Lamentations 3:22-23).
From 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, we get a picture of what love looks like in a relationship, its goodness, faithfulness, and endurance. When we love another person, we search for the goodness in their lives. Love accentuates the positives and forgets the negatives. Because of God’s great love, He forgets our sinful acts and delights to do good for us (Hebrews 8:12, Jeremiah 32:41).
Love is the opposite of fear. “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18). When I committed to love Louise for the rest of my life, I fully intended to be her protector and comforter. Likewise, we can expect that same sense of security when we allow ourselves to experience God’s love. With this security we can have peace, even in the presence of potentially fearful situations.
Love is sacrificial. It looks after another’s needs. I have seen Louise sacrifice time and energy to make our family’s life a little easier because she loves us. I have seen her go without sleeping to watch over a sick grandchild. When we look at the character of God, we see an even greater sacrifice: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Love desires relationship. While God is self-sufficient, He allowed His heart to be emotionally identified with a needy creation. He desires our love. He has allowed His heart to be bonded with mankind and desires a loving relationship with His creation, so He provides a way to make this relationship available to everyone. He placed within the heart and spirit of man the capacity to show affection; however, God’s love for us is not conditional to our ability to love Him.
Jesus finished His Great Commission with a beautiful promise: “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20b). He will never leave us; therefore, we can never be separated from the love of God.
Scripture Reading: Romans 8:38-39
Personal Application: God’s love puts Him standing right beside you, and at times, carrying you. You are the son embraced by the father, the child on Jesus’ lap, the sheep on the shepherd’s shoulders, the Creation held in His hands, and the mother at the foot of the cross. “Greater love has no one than this, that a person will lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). You are that friend, and Jesus laid down His life for you. Spend some time considering all the ways God shows His love for you and telling Him how much you love Him.
Jim Grassi, D. Min.
We cherish any verse in Scripture that reminds us to keep focused and intentional about evangelism and discipleship. “But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:5