God Is Love

God Is Love
By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

1 John 4:7-8 (NKJV)
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.


    Because God is love, He is worthy of love, our intimate, personal, individual love.  We are to love Him with all our hearts. When asked which commandment was the most important, Jesus answered: "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'  This is the first and great commandment. "(Matthew 22:37-38 (NKJV)

    All of our emotions: our joy, peace, anger, indignation, longing, and hope should result from our love relationship with God.  We have peace and joy in fellowship with Him.  Our anger and indignation should well up against those things that offend His holy name.  Our longing and hope must center on the fulfillment of His will.

    We must love Him with our soul, which is our intellect and our reasoning. We cannot love Him with our soul unless we know who He is, unless we know that He came to give us life in abundance. (John 10:10b)    His love took Him to the Cross.  His love brought Him from the grave.  His love touches our hearts and changes us for all eternity.  His love sets us free from fear, from doubt, from the bondage of sin.  It is truly God’s love that makes the world go ‘round.  The more we know of Him, the more deeply we will love Him.   

    We are, likewise, to love Him with our might, our physical strength.  Every action we take, every move we make, every word we speak should center on loving God and glorifying His Name. We are to be walking, talking testimonies of the love of God.  Our lives are to be beacons shining the love of God found in Christ Jesus to an anguished world. 

    Lord, we confess that we do not love You as You are worthy to be loved.  Our prayer is that we will grow in grace and in knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, because then, and only then, will we grow in love.  May our very lives give testimony to the truth that the Lord our God is love.  Amen