Wisdom from God’s Word – Pt 2
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10
As we continue to look at Love as the Bridge between God and us…both as we receive His Love and learn to love him, ourselves and others, we must pause to recognize why this is so…
God is The Author and therefore the Authority over all things. As we continue to focus on Who He Is, in particular that He is Love, we must pay attention to what He said and did to define and model love for us. Even His very definition of Authority is rooted in loving service (Matthew 20:20-28) and His modeling of it in Christ as God in the flesh as well (John 13:1-17).
So what does that say to us about Love? I think first of all we need to lay down our definitions of Love rooted in emotions, feelings, attractions and desires. Even though these can be and are part of love they should not define Love. We must find it in our willful acts of obeying Him and serving others. We touched on that extensively in last week’s post.
Here’s some food for thought, and hopefully life transformation, over the next few days…ponder what Jesus, The Author of Love, felt like in each of these situations and then apply His kind of real Love in your life and relationships.
- How do you think He felt relationally on the night He was betrayed (John 13:21, 38; Matthew 26:31)? If Love were a feeling then He would have stopped then and there and found a new set of friends that made Him feel better. But Love is not a feeling, it is a discipline that we can only learn and grow in when we are found in Christ!
- If love was a feeling then how could Christ love us after the emotion in the garden where He was in such anguish that He sweat drops of blood (Luke 22:44)? That’s Love! If love was based on feelings He could have and should have cut and run at that moment if He hadn’t already after all His closest friends abandoned Him (see yesterday’s post).
No, Love is commitment and as we will continue to see, The Author and Authority of Love, Himself, showed us clearly the reality of that Love in His commitment to His Father and to us.
Do you know Him? Do you know that kind of Love or only the rollercoaster “love” of emotions and feelings? You can know His Love. I pray you know Him and are growing in His Love and sharing it with others. Contact us a Love and Lordship if you’d like to know more.
We’ve looked at Love from the perspective of how Jesus felt relationally when His closest companions abandoned Him in His greatest moment of need. We’ve looked at how He chose to Love even in the mental and emotional anguish of hematohidrosis, sweating drops of blood usually caused by extreme stress which we know He was facing.
If Love were a feeling surely The Author of Love, Love Himself, would have said, “No way, this is not Love so I’m done.” But He continued to show us what Love truly is.
We continue with the questions and look at how He felt…and loved… even in social isolation and rejection?
Have you ever been the brunt of a group’s joke, or intentionally left out of social functions? Wonder how “loving” Jesus “felt” when the mob cried “Crucify Him!” Crucify Him!” (Matthew 27:22-23) just days after they had praised Him and laid their coats and palm branches before Him as a sign a homage and honor to royalty? (Matthew 21:1-10) How do you think He felt socially?
Surely this would be the “straw that broke the camel’s back” and He would respond in kind. Or how about when the guards mocked Him, spit on Him, tore out his beard and hair, He would recognize that Love would not need to go this far? (Matthew 27:27-31) How do you think He felt physically?
No, He responded in Love by remaining committed and not even opening His mouth at any time. His Love is Love and it goes far beyond and much deeper than how we feel. It is remaining committed to God, to others and to what is right, regardless of the cost…so others can see and know Him.
Do you know that kind of Love or is your love rooted in your desires, satisfaction, wants and feelings? Christ showed us what real Love is and you can know that and live that out in your marriage, family, friendships…even with your enemies (Matthew 5:44). If you want to know this kind of Love contact us at Love and Lordship.
I’ll continue next week with 2 more pressing questions that help us see Love as commitment, as a choice and act of the will rather than as emotions, feelings, circumstances and infatuation…it is so much more!
Love and Lordship…Food for Thought – How have you seen, defined and lived out love in your life and relationships? Is it based on your feelings, hormones and circumstances only…or is it rooted in commitment that stays the course when things get tough?
Love and Lordship…Action Item – repeat the same questions from last week
- Read the Scriptures in this article and ask The Holy Spirit to teach you.
- Write down what each of the Names of God in this post mean to you.
- What did you learn about God from His Word in today’s post?
- How will you apply what you’ve learned about His kind of Love…the only real Love that exists?
Contact us at loveandlordship@gmail.com to find out more about how you can know God the Father, Christ His Son and The Holy Spirit.