What really is love?

Yeah, what really is love? Is it being in a relationship and hoping to get married and live happily forever after? Is it the feeling you get when someone does something really great for you, makes your dream come true, and you feel that they really do love you? As we continue praying for those of us who are in relationships, the upcoming Sunday Service in which we are leading during first service, and the very soon-coming Super Soul Sunday…let’s think about this awhile.

So, what really is love? Does God love us? Do we love God? The question I really wanted to ask was, what really is prayer?? Because we have often times been told that prayer is communicating with God, but what really does that mean? Having a relationship with Him…that’s getting closer…but what really is love, prayer?

I would imagine that if prayer were communication with God, then both God and man should be able to express their deepest feelings, thoughts, fantasies, dreams, and for man, include anxieties there.

This mostly happens with us…we tell God all our dreams, thoughts, needs, everything we need. And then at a moment of excitement and exhilaration, we shout our praises to Him and express our deepest gratitude for something He has done, a miracle He has done in our lives. Great.

But then there’s side two to this whole scenario. We normally express ourselves to God, yes, and He answers us, and we thank Him. So far so good. Can we really say that we listen to God when He expresses Himself to us? No, I don’t mean when He answers our prayers…I mean, when He tells us what is in HIS heart. Do we listen to Him? Do we honor His wishes? Do we do what He says? Do we try to fulfill His wishes…do we really hear what He is saying to us from the bottom of His heart?

You know, one of the best things Jesus did for us was to die on our behalf, so we wouldn’t have to be punished for our many many wicked and horrible sins. That, is LOVE. But mostly, we look at salvation as a chance to go for some shopping…and ask for all the things we think would make us happy. Let’s see, what kind of a response is that, to someone who has just taken away our pain….and He is there, on the cross, bleeding, sighing, dying…telling you, “Child, I love you.” At that point in time, is it when to ask for that raise, that new job, ….or is a better response to say “Jesus, I love you too. I choose to devote my life to serve you…you have given your all for me, and I want to give my all for you too…”

In Your Name I pray,

Amen.