Love

I did a study on love, and this is what I discovered:

Agape- Pronounced not as most of us have been taught but correctly pronounced - ag-ah’-pay.

Agape was first introduced in the Song of Solomon.

·         What does it mean to love the Lord our God?

·         What does it mean to love our neighbor as ourselves?

First, what is the word for love that is used in this commandment?

·         In Deut. 6: We are told to love- (ʼâhab, aw-hab) the Lord our God with all our heart. But what kind of love, or rather, how are we to love God? According to Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon, it is defined as “longing for or desiring. Therefore, God commands us to desire Him with all that we are.

Next, we are commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves. What kind of or how are we to love our neighbor?

In Lev. 19:18 God commands: “You shall not take vengeance, nor hold any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD.” (emphasis mine) Here, the same Hebrew word for love is used.

BUT In Matt. 22:37 A different word is used: a Greek word. Agapeo is now used to describe how we love God and to love our neighbor.

·         The Biblical usage is said to mean: to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly

·         According to Thayer's Greek Lexicon, it means:  to have a preference for, wish well to, regard the welfare of:

So, we are to love God dearly, to welcome God into our lives, and we are to give preference to God and others. We are to take regard of the welfare of those around us as if we are caring for ourselves. The Bible teaches that we are to submit to God's will and treat others as more important than ourselves. This is apparently loving God and our neighbors. The Word of God does not merely teach us to love but also explains how to do so. Jesus not only reminds us to love but also shows us how to love by example.

            February is the month of love. February 14 is Valentine’s Day. Let us celebrate God’s kind of love together. This is not an act of selfish affection; rather, it exemplifies selfless love.  As we give this month, may we do it selflessly. May we not be concerned with what we are able to receive but with what we are able to give?

As we celebrate Valentine's Day, perhaps we should realize that yes, giving is a way to express love, but what kind of love? We can love a person with eros love, or with agape love. There is nothing wrong with having a "sweetheart," but let us not forget to love God and love others as God has commanded us to do.

Prayer

Father, please help us to love you with a desiring love, a love that is aware that we need you as we need breath. Please also help us to love those around us, regarding them as more important than ourselves. Thank you, Lord, that you love us. We realize that you loved us by laying down your very life so that we might have eternal life.

Amen.