Unconditional love of God
If there is a word that everyone knows, I bet that word is love. In the whole world, in every language there is a word: love, now everyone says they know love however do we really understand love.
Arabic: ???
Chinese: ??
Czech: láska
Danish: kærlighed
Dutch: liefde
Estonian: armastus
Finnish: rakkaus
French: amour
German: die Liebe
Greek: a??p?
Hungarian: szeretet
Icelandic: ást
Indonesian: sayang
Italian: amore
Japanese: ?
Korean: ??
Latvian: milestiba
Lithuanian: meile
Norwegian: kjærlighet
Polish: zamilowanie
Portuguese: amor
Romanian: dragoste
Russian: ??????
Slovak: láska
Slovenian: ljubezen
Spanish: amor
Swedish: kärlek
Turkish: ask
English ………… I love you
Afrikaans ……… Ek is lief vir jou
IsiNdebele ……… Niyakutanda
IsiXhosa ……… Ndiyakuthanda
IsiZulu ………… Ngiyakuthanda
Sepedi …………………… Ke a go rata
Sesotho ……… Ke a go rata
Setswana ……………. Ke a go rata
SiSwati ………… ngiyakutsandza
Tshivenda ………………….. ngiyakutsandza
Xitsonga …………….. Ndzakurhandza
There are many types of love, for different stages of our lives, so when we say to a person, I love you, and do we really mean it?
The first one we get is PHILAUTIA LOVE /SHALLOW LOVE, this is a self-love, one that people use against other people to benefit Him, putting on a show and always expecting something back.
PHILIA LOVE/ PLATONIC LOVE this is an affectionate regard, a loyalty shown between true friends, one that enables us to put differences aside and go forward.
STORAGE LOVE / FAMILY LOVE this is the love between parents and children, between siblings, it involves respect, honour for one another.
LUDUS LOVE / PUPPY LOVE /FIRST LOVE this is the very first time that the stomach goes weak, that you become tongue tied, weak kneed, butterfly feelings, writing the person’s name on paper, doodling, wondering if he loves me, he loves me not. This is mostly in our teenage years.
EROS LOVE / PASSIONATE LOVE this is the love that develops between a couple who have realized that this is their soul mate, the one meant for them, it is the special connection a new couple in love have.
PRAGMA LOVE / EVERLASTING LOVE this is love that flows from Eros love to a long, lasting relationship and an understanding of two people who stay married for their whole lives.
MOTHERS LOVE this love is the most famous love that we hear about, there is nothing a mother would not do for her child, this love never gives up on you, no matter what you do or say, some mothers would even die for their children.
But THE LOVE I WANT TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT, is even more than all of these put together, is never ending, it fills us with joy and all that is needed that we are able to love others.
1 John 4:7-12
Dear friends, we must love each other because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born from God and knows God. The person who doesn't love doesn't know God, because God is love. God has shown us his love by sending his only Son into the world so that we could have life through him. This is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the payment for our sins. Dear friends, if this is the way God loved us, we must also love each other. No one has ever seen God. If we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.
We see also in the most famous verses from the bible: 1 Corinthians 13, which explains what love should be, John 3:16: For God so loved…
It is the love that God has for you and for me, it is unspeakable, unending, unconditional, it sees beyond the outer surface and accepts you for who you are REGARDLESS of your faults and sin. It overflows and seeks nothing in return, it is unmotivated, it is unselfish, it is CALLED AGAPE LOVE, AND COMES FROM JESUS HIMSELF.
TURN WITH ME TO ROMANS 12:9-16
Love sincerely. Hate evil. Hold on to what is good. Be devoted to each other like a loving family. Excel in showing respect for each other. Don't be lazy in showing your devotion. Use your energy to serve the Lord. Be happy in your confidence, be patient in trouble, and pray continually. Share what you have with God's people who are in need. Be hospitable. Bless those who persecute you. Bless them, and don't curse them. Be happy with those who are happy. Be sad with those who are sad Live in harmony with each other. Don't be arrogant, but be friendly to humble people. Don't think that you are smarter than you really are.
WOW, GOD LOVES US UNCONDITIONALLY, so how can we learn to love like God, everyone, how do we show the world that God loves them, let us consider these points:
- LOVE MUST BE SINCERE
Let LOVE be the CENTER of who you are, don’t fake it, be true to yourself, don’t be someone you are not. When we are checking our motives and clinging to what is good, temptation loses its grip upon us, we must be proactive towards what good is if we want to display a sincere love.
1John 3:18
- LOVE MUST BE DISCERNING
Is your sense of right and wrong intact? Do you blush when something inappropriate is said? First you must know what is right, second you must have the courage to choose what you know to be true. STAND UP FOR YOUR BELIEFS NO MATTER WHAT.
1 Corinthians 13
- LOVE MUST DISPLAY TENDER AFFECTION
Now I am not saying hug every single person, but be nice, polite and treat each one with respect, tell the ones close to you how much they mean to you, appreciate them, say THANK YOU. God loves all people not just the Christians, or Catholics or non-believers He loves them all.
John 3:3
Jesus says you must be born again; receive new life through personal faith in Jesus Christ. We should be saying ‘Everyone belongs to Jesus, belongs to me’ we are all to love each other.
1 Peter 1:22
- LOVE MUST HONOUR OTHERS
There is no limit to how far you can go if you do not care who gets the credit, it is Jesus who should be getting all the credit as it is all for Him.
Isaiah 58:2
- LOVE MUST BE ENTHUSIASTIC
Serve the Lord with zeal and boiling intensity. Be aglow and burning with the spirit, be full of compassion for people, have a desire to show them God’s love for them, put your all into your believe in Jesus as you do in your sport.
- LOVE MUST BE PATIENT
Jesus is coming again however no-one knows when it will be and until that time, we need to be patient, we have to wait. You must not push or force people will shout, there is always queuing but you get there in the end,
- LOVE MUST BE GENEROUS
Give to others everything you can, no matter what it is when given in love will make the difference to the person receiving it, when you just give it means nothing. There are many people less fortunate than you so be a giver.
Psalms 63:3
- LOVE MUST PURSUE HOSPITALITY
It means to show kindness to strangers, to have manners and be polite, to be good to family, how will we show the world that God loves them if we cannot show those around us. God loved us when we were strangers, and was accepted into his family. Would you offer a place to stay?
Hebrews 13:2
- LOVE MUST BE KIND
WHAT HAPPENS TO US? HOW WE RESPOND? IN ANGER? OR LOVE?
We will be persecuted, hated, mistreated, lied too, gossiped about and maybe even killed, JESUS WAS. People will hurt us deeply, family will turn on us, and close friends will stab the knife in our back. HOW DO WE REACT? DO THEY SEE GOD IN US? When faced with someone who has mistreated you, ask God to do for them what God wants to do for you, BLESS THEM in every way possible. FORGIVE them, and PRAY for them.
- LOVE MUST SHOW SYMPATHY
Love gets involved, to weep with friends, to be their voice when needed, to listen often, to rejoice with friends, there is a time for everything and the main thing is, is to just be there.
- LOVE MUST LIVE IN HARMONY
We are not alike, we do not sound alike although we try, and we do not look alike or act alike. Let me ask this: if a live band all played like a guitar would it be a band? NO, it is all different instruments but all play together, in tune so like a band we all have to learn to live with each other, to get in tune with each other.
- LOVE MUST SHOW HUMILITY
Don’t get a big head, thinking that you are better than the next, be a friend to all, full of unconditional love.
So that is it to have a heart of God for your life and then just maybe you will then live your life in its fullness. If we can love the ones who swear at us, treat us wrong, then surely we can love God, change your heart today and pull closer to God.
Lord Jesus
I come before you and ask that you take this heart of stone and replace it with a heart of your love so that we may go and treat people the way you would, thank you for loving us the way you do, teach us your love, your way. In your name Jesus I pray. Amen
