Love is of God

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another."

John 13:34

Jesus commanded His disciples they love one another as He had loved them.  His faithfulness to love was seen daily and culminated with Jesus demonstrating His love for all people by dying on the cross for sinners.  The greatest loves we experience in this world are mere hints and shadows of God's love.  Because love is of God it is impossible those who do not know God could express or experience such love apart from Him.  It is more than feelings, affection, desire and acceptance because only in God is love fully manifested as 1 John 4:7-8 says:  "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."

The worldly concept of what love is as an ideal falls woefully short of the reality.  Dr. Gary Chapman wrote an insightful book that espouses five different "love languages," ways he claims people often give and receive love:  words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch.  While it is true love can be shown by considering the feelings of others, by what we say, do or choose not to do, God's love transcends humanity.  Love is more than giving gifts, writing poems and even selfless sacrifice.  God's love is so great, like the living God Himself it cannot be defined but only described in part.  And the way God's love is described immediately shatters all our assumptions we know what love is.

I never would have guessed the first words Paul used to describe the love of God in 1 Corinthians 13:4:  "Love suffers long" or "Love is patient" (depending on your Bible translation).  Is that how you would describe love?  From a worldly perspective love isn't attractive or desirable at all but more like a heavy burden to allow someone else to carry.  The One who delights to carry this burden is God because God is love.  Everything He does is patient, kind, without envy, boasting or pride.  Connecting patience with others as a primary way of demonstrating love to them helps me see if I love others or not.  As children of God, patience is to mark our lives as is exhorted in 1 Thessalonians 5:14:  "Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all."  We are called to love the unruly, fainthearted and weak by patience at all times.

Consider the exhortation given to naturally impatient people in James 5:7-11:  "Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. ⁸ You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. ⁹ Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! ¹⁰ My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. ¹¹ Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord--that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful."  If we grumble against one another or have unsettled hearts filled with worry, we are not being loving and patient as we ought.  Job is an example of a man who loved God and his patience whilst suffering revealed this truth.  Though it did not feel like it because of the fiery trial God allowed, Job's perseverance in patience caused him to receive the blessing of God's compassion and mercy.

Love suffers long and is patient.  How this fleshes out in one regard what Jesus commanded His disciples to do when He said, "Love one another."  Since love is of God as those born again and beloved by Him we are empowered to suffer long and continue in kindness and compassion towards all.