One of the greatest emotions of all time is love and during this month that we deem to be the month of love I sit here pondering on what it means to love deeply, love truly, love beyond the flaws that exist in another

Here is the truth, God loves us with an undeniable and unconditional type of love that causes Him to see not the errors we make but who we are to Him in the purest way, I smile as I write this because many times what others will say is that they are not God so they are not expected to be like Him, but can I tell you how wrong that analogy is, why do I say wrong?

Well because God made us in His image, we are His replicas which means that the ability to love on that level also exists in us, we , well some of us need only to tap into that part of our being in order for that deep love to come forth

Scripture tells us in John 3:16 that God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life, can you imagine loving so much that you would sacrifice one life to save a nation? You can’t right but this is God wants, for us to be selfless, for us to love Him so much that absolutely anything He directs us to do, we call it done because it is His will and desire that matters over all else

Let’s think about our father Abraham, remember him? He and his wife had no children for years until God blessed them with a son (Isaac) I’m sure when Isaac came along they were elated and thankful that God kept His promise, never mind how old they were at that time (90 and 100) but when Abraham was told to take Isaac to the mountain where he would be offered as a sacrifice unto God, Abraham went, now we don’t know if he argued, questioned, begged and said no a few times before giving in because as a parent I would be having several conversations with God about this sacrifice. What we know is that Abraham went with Isaac and at the last second God provided a lamb that was used in place of his son, now if that’s not love and devotion on another level I don’t know what is

So love therefore is not what we say but what we do not just sometimes but consistently through all seasons, love pushes you to help, to speak up, to sacrifice, love removes veils causing you to see what is beyond the surface, love speaks in syllables that can be understood, love is selfless, love avails itself and best of all love is always forgiving

So as you bask in the splendor of this month remember what the true meaning of love is and why it should be on display at all times

1 Corinthians 13: 4-5 reads ‘ love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it does not dishonor, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs’

Practice this kind of love and God will be pleased (Shalom)