This is the fourth in a series on my Faith Journey.
In my last post, I wrote about learning that “God is love” through the way people in my church and community loved me. Of course, not everyone experiences that kind of love in a congregation or neighborhood or community firsthand.
One of my friends asked me a practical question, “How would you explain what love actually is?” Great question.
So often in my faith journey, I use language to describe it where I assume everyone else knows what I mean. Do you do this too? But the truth is, sometimes I don’t even know exactly what I mean. So often our faith language is so general we need to bring it back down to earth in the flesh.
When I have experienced “God is love” in my life, I have been touched in a way that is often like an unconditional and undeserved gift. Most of the time it has been through other people, but sometimes it has been through an awareness that the Creator loves me despite all of my shortcomings.
My father and mother and stepmom did this for me throughout my life. They were patient and kind, and they were not arrogant or rude. Their love for me could bear all things, believe all things, and hope all things good for me (See I Corinthians 13). I am thankful. And since I know what that is like, I try to give it away to others as well.
I need to think about this one some more.
I ask the question of you my reader. What does “God is love” mean to you? Keep it practical, real. I’d love to hear your comments below.
Peace to you along the journey.
I keep turning this over in my head, but the only thing that makes sense to me in describing what love is (or what it looks like to me) is when someone, be it God or person, shares time and space and emotion with me and doesn’t care what is in it for them and is only interested in sharing my experience or at the very least, being present in it. Even better, it’s when they do all of this and know there is absolutely nothing that could possibly be in it for them, but do it anyway and do it fully. Perhaps at other times it has meant something different or will mean something different in the future, but right now that’s the best and most practical way I can think of putting it.
God is a power, an energy, a force, a spirit. And no human emotion embodies that power better than love.The love we share connects the spirit of God within each of us to those we love, and makes us all one.
Thanks Sandy, I especially appreciate your emphasis on a poured out, no strings attached, and no outcome demanded kind of love.
Thanks for taking the time to think with this about me.
Malcolm
Harry, it’s great to hear from you. The unifying aspect of love is what I like about your definition or description.
Thanks so much,
Malcolm