Thinking Of Love

February is the month that takes our thoughts out of the doldrums of winter and points them to the warmth of love. Love, a subject that we all enjoy, but really know very little about. I have often said that the two greatest emotions that we can experience are loving and being loved. To be honest, we understand the "being loved" part of it more than the loving. Why? Because, we are by our very nature, selfish and being loved feeds that part of us. But, true love is an outward emotion rather than inward. To love is to focus on someone else rather than self. To meet their needs as opposed to our own. It is giving rather than receiving. I John 4:8 says that "God is love". He is the expression of love and the experience of love. Without knowing God, we cannot truly know what love is, because we are so selfish. John went on to say "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son..." I John 4:10. We are also familiar with "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son..." John 3:16 Notice again, that the expression of love is shown by giving. Maybe we can understand it better like this. When we were kids, we knew our parents loved us because of the wonderful gifts they gave us at Christmas time, and we enjoyed receiving those gifts. Now, as parents, we have a better grasp of love as we are able to give to our kids and to see the joy and excitement on their faces as they receive from us. The greater of the two emotions is the loving, rather than the being loved. And to think that we are experiencing all of this in a sin tainted body that is limited in understanding. Wow! What is it going to be like when we are in Heaven - in a glorified body and experience the fullness of God's wonderful love for us? I do hope you will know someday.