Katie Nelson

Love is much sought after in our society, in our world. But what is love?

The Bible tells us that “God is love” (1 John 4:16). But what does that mean?…How could God be love?

In order to shed some light on this dilemma, I searched to find out how other people described love. Dan, age 18, explained, “I think that love is like a drug. You get hooked on it; when you and the person you love experience it you want more of it. But when that feeling of a ‘high’ dies down and you still feel the same you know then that that is really Love.”

A character in the Nicholas Sparks’ novel, The Notebook writes, “Poets often describe love as an emotion that we can’t control, one that overwhelms logic and common sense. That’s what it’s like for me. I didn’t plan on falling in love with you, and I doubt that you planned on falling in love with me. But once we met, it was clear that neither of us could control what was happening to us. We fell in love, despite our differences, and once we did, something rare and beautiful was created. For me love like that has happened only once, and that’s why every minute we spent together has been seared in my memory. I’ll never forget a single moment of it.”

I appreciate both of these definitions of love. They encapsulate the feeling well. I believe that their descriptions of it are exactly how God feels about us. He made relationships. He made us to be relational people. God allows us to feel love and experience it through relationships here on earth to give us a taste of how He feels about us. God is crazy about you. You know that feeling when you first fall head over heels for someone… When they are so perfect in your eyes that they could never do anything wrong and every flaw is actually just a cute attribute that makes you love them more? That’s just a glimpse of how God feels about us. He created us. We are His masterpiece.

So, back to the initial question: What is love? 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 spells it out:

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”

Because the Bible tells us that God is love, we can learn about His character by inserting His name in this verse…

God is patient and kind. God is not jealous (He’s jealous for your heart! A good lover should be…but He’s not jealous of your possessions or status…) or boastful or proud or rude. God does not demand His own way. (God gives us free will. He doesn’t make us love Him…even though He knows He can love you better than anyone else…) God is not irritable, and He keeps no record of being wronged. (We constantly turn our back on Him- but He constantly forgives us.) God does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever truth wins out. God never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

God doesn’t want you to forget this. He wrote a 66 chapter love letter to you—that’s longer than any note, more expressive too, than anything a girlfriend/boyfriend has written you. God is talking to you.

Dear my Beloved,

My Love for you overwhelms logic and common sense. Unlike the character in Nicholas Spark’s book, I planned on falling in love with you, but I know you didn’t plan on falling in love with me. But once you turned to me and trusted that I will take care of you, our relationship began. I have always loved you, despite your indifference to me and once you realized this, you were able to see how unique and beautiful everything I created is. For me, Love like I feel for you has been happening since before I created the universe—and that’s why every minute we spend together has been seared in My memory. I’ll never forget a single moment of it and I’ll never leave you. I can’t wait to spend eternity with you. I’ll explain everything you’ve been wondering about when you get here. Until then, my letter explains everything you need to know right now. If you have any other questions- just ask. I’ll always answer.

Love,

Love