I had planned to do a marriage or dating blog… you know, since Valentine’s Day is this week. However, this morning in church we were singing, “How He Loves Us,” by David Crowder and then 1 John 4:19 came to my heart which says, “We love because He first loved us.” Think about it, the only reason we can love one another or even know how to love others is because of His love for us. 

 1 Cor. 13:4-8 is commonly quoted at weddings. “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.”

That scripture is usually used for how we are to treat each others – which is true. But the scripture means so much more. You see, God IS LOVE. That means that you can replace the word “love” with “God” and you now have the character of God – how He acts toward us. 

I think I am safe in saying that most of us don’t have an inkling of how much God truly loves us. The truth is, that is all God can do toward you because He IS love. He is patient toward us and kind, He isn’t arrogant or rude – and definitely does not insist on His own way. I mean, if He did we would all be like robots not thinking for ourselves. 

So, God is showing us how to love others – not in our own ability, but in Him. When you love others the way God loves us, you tap into another “level” of love. You tap into Him. Trust me, that is the only way we can be patient and kind to others (all the time).  

So, this week ask God how you can show His love to others around you. Not the “mushy” feeling of love but tap into the character of God as you go about your days and watch true love in action. Remember that you can love others because He first loved you.