I have been thinking about this today. I have many experiences with love in different relationships. Ive never really liked to say "I LOVE YOU" because the word just seems embarrassing unmasculine and sometimes even scary.
Whats happened to us that this word LOVE has become so loosely used and so horribly tainted. So many times the word love is used to describe objects and materialistic things even to things that we eat. We say we love people who we've never meet because were intrigued by some artistic ability not having any regards to the person they really are. My point is thats not love, its rather obsession, admiration, idolatry, or a plain exaggeration.
I remember the first time I started freely using the word with my first girlfriend. It felt so good to say I LOVE YOU it was so freeing and also exposed a vulnerability in me that was so purely and fearfully held on to. The girl was amazing and made me so happy I was infactuated with a dream world. Till one day it all came crashing in and she broke up with met with really no reason at all it seemed. The word love suddenly became so confusing to me. What is love?
I remember seeing divorce within family and wondering how can they divorce each other if they love each other? What happened?
How about when your younger and your parents yell or curse or beat you and they are the same person who say "I love you"?
Ever had a close friend who knew everything about you and you knew everything about them and then the opposite is true you no longer know them and they no longer know you but you use to exchange the words "I love you".
What is love and why does it fail so much?
Wikipedia says:
Love is an emotion of a strong affection and personal attachment.[1] Love is also said to be a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection.
So I guess the love the fails is the emotional love. Emotions as we know change through circumstances and as we evolve as people and grow our emotions and feelings may also. There is another type of love thats totally un lie the changing one of emotions. Its the agape love which is spoken about in the bible.
"Jesus said unto him,
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it,
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40)
To love God with all my heart, soul, and mind is a challenge. To love my self is a challenge to love others the way that I love myself is a challenge.
I usually love myself first God second and people last or some people I love second then God last. I have that thing all mixed up. Its not right!
Ive had that fake emotional lOVE for God and people and even myself sometimes. Its a command so I need to align myself correctly and allow myself to be changed my Love.
The fact of the matter is that REAL LOVE is unfailing unwavering and unchanging. If I change love still loves me, If i reject love I'm still loved, If I do something shameful I'm still loved, If i turn my back on love love still loves. When I ask myself what is love? My only reference is that agape love. Thats the one thats real that one that is uncommon in the mundane day to day encounters with other people. Its the love a parent has for their child even when they do something shameful or against their wishes for their child. The agape love is the one that says yeah you did me wrong friend but I'm not scared of that I love you still. The kind of Love that sees beyond flesh and bones and sees deep within the spirit of man where an eye can not travel but an agape love can take you. That is the real love. Allow the agape love to radically propel you into the depths in Christ that no fake love can take you.
Dear Lord I accept your Agape love for me! I will love you with all my heart mind and soul, I will love myself and I will love others because your love is real.
