THE DEFINITION OF LOVE

1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Love is patient and is kind; love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with.   (WEB)

The English language has one word for 'love' that describes many things. We use it to say we 'love' hot dogs and we 'love' our children. The word 'love' can be used as a verb and a noun. Sometimes, when we casually use the word 'love', we really don't mean it.

The word 'love' can also cause us confusion. Parents tell their children they 'love' them, but they end up hurting them. While even the best parents aren't perfect, neither is their love. There is only one perfect love, and that is the love that comes from God, for He is the very definition of love.

In 1 Corinthians 13, the Apostle Paul tells us what love is. He describes many beautiful characteristics of love in verses 4-8. If the love you have experienced on this side of heaven does not match up with this description, then it is not the love that comes from God because His love will never fail.

My prayer today is that we would all be rooted and grounded in God’s love for us (Ephesians 3:16-21) and that we would have the power to grasp His immeasurable love by the power of His Spirit. May every distorted expression of love shown to us in this life be consumed by the fire of God's steadfast love for us.

May we all know that the description of love in 1 Corinthians 13 actually describes a person—and that person happens to be our heavenly Father! For God not only loves, He is the very definition of love itself!

1 John 4:16
We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. (WEB)