Agape

I have been preparing this week to preach this Sunday at The Chapel. God has been doing such a work in me lately by lavishing His love on me, that it's difficult not to want to share Sunday on anything else... so I won't :)

In my preparation, I was looking up the Greek word for "love" in Strong's Concordance. Most of us are familiar with "love" in the new testament being translated from the Greek word "agape," which is true. But as I dove into the meaning of the word, there were some enlightening aspects to this "agape" love that caught my attention.

One of the aspects of this "agape" love was that Strong's stated, "Love can be known only from the actions it prompts as God's love is seen in the gift of His Son." It then references 1 John 4:9,10...

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Wow.

If love is only shown through actions, God showed us the greatest act of love, by sending His Son to die in our place. How many times have we heard this?! Yet, it is so fresh and new for me this morning.

If love is truly something that can only be seen and displayed through the actions of someone, then God's actions were greatest...

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

God doesn't just tell us He loves us, no, He proves His great love for us by laying down His life for us.

For a recovering perfectionist, I am so thankful that God truly loves me this morning, and that He showed it! He shows me His love through more than mere words, but in action too. I find rest, hope, strength and peace in His love, and pray you do today as well.