Agape

This past weekend I shared a Word with a few friends...I spoke on love...not just any love...the unconditional love God has for us...you know...love is a word that we throw around so carelessly in our culture...we tell people all the time we "love" them...we "love" to shop...or we "love" ice cream...Love has lost its affect...our culture attempts to water down its power...the same "love" used to describe our "love" for our family...is the same "love" used to describe an addicts need for another hit...When was the last time you said you "loved" something? In what context did you use it...did you abuse it??? Love isn't an emotional thing...it is totally spiritual.

In the Bible love is used in three different ways...you have eros...which is a romantic love...like the love a man has for his wife...then you have phileo...which describes the love you have for your friends and family...a brotherly love...and then there is agape love...the unconditional love God has for us...

I looked up Agape in my Strong's concordance...and it says...

Agape--To love; in the New Testament usually the active love of God for His Son and His people, and the active love His people are to have for God, each other, and even their enemies.

I love this definition...the word that stands out to me the most is...active..the active love of God...Love is an action word...Just think about God's active love for a minute...His active love...is what keeps you...you know...that night you drove home drunk...His active love kept you...when you found yourself in that situation that you didn't think you could get out of...His active love gave you a way of escape...when you thought you could never forgive...His active love gave you peace...and the definition doesn't stop there but this love is the love God the Father...has for His Son...John 3:16 reminds us of this love...

16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

God's love is sacrificial...For God so loved the world, that he gave...the definition of agape...says that we ought to have this same love...an unconditional active love for everyone...in order to love like God...we have to be in relationship with Him....we have to really die to ourselves...sacrifice...in order to please God with our love...

The easiest definition for love is God...God is love...1 John 4:16 says...

16And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

God is love...so be careful how you use this word...love...everytime you fix your mouth to say it...think...Do I really "love" this thing? Can you put "God" every where you put love? According to 1 John 4:16...you ought to be able to...God is love...and that is awesome...Let's pray...

Thank you for loving us...like no one else can...thank you that nothing makes sense unless you are apart of it...Lord you know us inside and out...so help us to be the men and women you called us to be...You deserve our very best...so help us to be all that and more...for you...for our families...for our loved ones...we need you Lord...we love you...and it is in Jesus' name we pray this prayer...Amen...