Love is a verb

 Love is a verb

"I love you, O LORD, my strength."  Psalm 18:1

God has given me so many things in my life that I love.  I love my children, I love my husband, I love my church, I love rainy days, I love long runs on rainy days... the list could go on and on.  What is love really though? Google defines love as "an intense feeling of deep affection."  Seriously? Is that it? Just a feeling?   What exactly is deep affection anyway?   Feelings come and go.  Surely love is meant to last?  Since feelings change with circumstances, that definition would only mean that love would change with circumstances as well.  I feel I love you today but might not tomorrow if I'm not feeling it.  Surely that's not how God intended love to be.  

1 John 3:16, "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters."  Oh yes, God did intend for love to be more than feelings.  He intended it to be all of who we are, not just a part of who we are.  Galatians 2:20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."  If Christ lives in us, then we should have the same love for others that he showed.  

If you're wondering how to go about truly loving others, remember that love is a verb.  It requires action.  1 Corinthians 13:4-7 tells us everything we need to know about love and loving others, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."  There you go, God showed us how to love others by first loving us...  And loved us so much that he gave us a "love manual"-the Bible.   What a gift!  Today's the day to share that "gift".  Oh my, it's too good to keep to yourself.  

Heavenly Father, thank you for loving us while we were still sinners. Thank you for your example of how to love others unconditionally.  May Your love shine through us today as we look for ways to be a blessing.  May our goal be to show the world, one person at a time, the true meaning of love-Your love Father.  In your precious name we pray Jesus, Amen.

Happy Running!!!

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Back in the day there was a man who stepped out of Heaven and He walked the land.  He delivered to the people an eternal choice with a heart full of love and the truth in His voice.  Gave up His life so that we might live.  How much more could the son of God give?  Here is the example that we oughta be matchin' cause love is a word that requires some action-DC Talk