Lover of My Soul
God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so we might have eternal life through Him. This is real love- not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 1John 4:9-10
We know how much God loves us, and we put our trust in His love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God and God lives in them. 1John 4:16
Sister,
It seems like each person has their own imaginary thoughts of what love looks like and feels like. Some people ascribe love to this warm tingly feeling or emotion we get when we interact or think about something or someone we are fond of. Others, accredit the physical attraction they have toward a person that ignites romantic feelings to love. While some view an intense desire for someone or something as love. Sister, we've all done it. Remember around Valentine's Day or Christmas we turn on the Hallmark Channel that's flooded with romantic narratives about two people falling "in love" in spite of various obstacles they face all in the matter of 3 days. Hilarious Right? Well, we fall for it. By the time we finish watching the story we're in tears thinking... " I want someone to love me like that."... It's so unconditional and intense. Have you gotten drawn in subliminally by the views of what others constitute as love? It's the world's view and if I'm honest Sister I've gotten sucked in many times as well; leaving me with feelings of emptiness that's based on a false fantasy. It's amazing how we tend to define things with our limited observation and tag it or name it " love." How can we label love based on our limited understanding of people's circumstances by mere observation? How can we begin to use a word that has an origin and conceptualize it without exploring its original intent. Love is one of those words we all assume we know the meaning of. How can we begin to identify love before going to the source of love? This is one of the reasons why 10 different people can have 10 different definitions of what love looks like to them. We can torture ourselves by going on the rollercoaster of love and chase a rabbit down a love tunnel but if we don't go to love's origin we will never understand it's true meaning.
Our scripture reference shares with us that the writer John wants us to know that love apart from what God defines as love is a temporal ,earthy, humanistic understanding that has not scratched the surface of what love is. John tells us what real love is. This love can not diminish or be destroyed. You can't fall out of it. It is firmly fixed and never fades away. WHY?... because God is Love! He is the originator because it first comes from Him. In Him is the true definition of love. He is where we find true love. The greatest demonstration of love is God loving us enough to send His Son as a sacrifice to pay for our sins. There is no greater love than one laying down his own life for another.(John 15:13) That is exactly what happened in Christ because God is Love. God knew sinful man needed a way back to fellowship with Him so He sent His only begotten Son that never sinned but paid the price to purchase humanity and free them from the penalty of sin. He was not guilty in any way but paid the cost for us to go free. That's Love! As we continue to walk with God and live in Him the love we have grows more complete. I pray you are starting to get it... God is the true Lover of your soul. His love reached to the depths of humanity's soul and called us out of the darkness that separated us from Him. He draws us close! There is no need for you Sister or I to look for a better lover than God. They simply don't exist... He is the One who can forever capture your heart.
Prayer Focus:
Dear Heavenly Father,
In the name of Jesus, forgive me for looking and wanting someone else as if you were not enough. Lord, You are more than enough. You are the Great I Am. You are from everlasting to everlasting. You're the one that comforts and guides. You never leave me alone. You are the one that redeemed my soul and brought me out of darkness. Thank you for saving me. First, loving us all enough to send Jesus to take the penalty of our sin when He was innocent of sin. Thank you for being the Lover of my soul. Help me to love you with all that I am and never allow anyone nor anything to take your place in my life. Help me to wait and know when your love shows up through others. Make me an instrument of Your Love.
In Jesus name , Amen.
Application Exercise
Sister, I want you to do a little tv watching for this activity. Can you find a romantic movie? Some may call it a chick flick. LOL You don't have to watch it entirely, just enough for you to see the love plot developing. It might help if you do watch it entirely but whatever works for you. Now, when you finish watching it , I want you to think about what emotions aroused as you were gazing. Did you feel warm and fuzzy? Did you feel jealous? Did you feel happy? I want you to take a mental note on how you felt. Now, I want you to try to compare it to the eternal love God offers you. Think about it... What the love of God provides is far greater than any temporary human expression. Don't worry we can experience God's love expressed through others that know His Son and bear His name. That's the real love. Sister, go be an expression of love to whom the Lord directs you.... but, if that man of God hasn't already found you, Wait for him.... it will be worth it!
The Team of Push Pause & Pray