L0V3

Every time I hear a teenager throwing around the word "love" my heart sinks. You've heard it before... I love your new shoes!... I love the new Twilight movie... I love sleeping in... I love my boyfriend/girlfriend... And the list goes on.

The world has lost the original meaning of love. Our new meaning of love is associated with food, clothes, movies, music, and short-lived relationships. We tend to use a word so much that the real meaning of the word doesn't affect us like it should. I mean face it, do you really love the new Twilight movie as much as you love your parents or siblings? I certainly hope not..

True Love = God. God = Love. We can not truly know Love, show Love, or feel Love, unless we know and abide in God. It's really that simple. Know God, and you'll know Love. It might not come from a boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse the way you want it to, but He will always Love you to the fullest extent.

Beloved, let us Love one another, for Love is from God;
and everyone who Loves is born of God and knows God.
The one who does not Love does not know God, for God is Love.
(1 John 4:7-8)

I think sometimes we forget that Love and God go hand in hand. When we get angry or frustrated with someone who isn't loving us up to our standards, we need to step back and really look at the situation. Are they abiding in God? Are we abiding in Him? Because if either of those aspects is missing, the love we're looking for is going to be slightly off balance.

We Love, because He first Loved us.
(1 John 4:19)

He gave the ultimate example of True Love. He set the standards, and we have the challenge of Loving those around us in the same way He loves us. We will be able to Love others, to truly Love them, if we are abiding in God and staying in a daily relationship with Him. Abiding with Him will allow us to know Him and see His Love for us. Then we can live by His example, Loving those around us. When we Love those around us - He is glorified!!!

“Love is doing what will enthrall the beloved with the greatest and longest joy. What will enthrall the beloved this way is the glory of God. Love means doing all we can, at whatever cost to ourselves, to help people be enthralled with the glory of God. When they are, they are satisfied and God is glorified. Therefore loving people and glorifying God are one.”