How would we know of God’s love for us, except that we experience it in the acts of sacrifice and care he bestows upon us. We know his love because of his constant reaching out to us, his endless long-suffering love toward us, and his daily striving with us.
Absent evidence of love, is there love at all?
This is how we should examine our love for God. When God commands us to love him, is he asking for us to have soft warm feelings of love and gratitude toward him, but without any of the tangible evidence of love in our actions? If we didn’t have the tangible evidence of God’s love for us, would we know he loves us? No! So too, we must act upon our love for God.
Love is more a verb than a noun. Without its active component it has no power, no abiding nature, and therefore it is dead. James says that faith without works is dead, this is also true for love, love without the works of love is not love at all.
“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” — John 14:15
This week my study and posts will examine the second great commandment, which Christ the Lord said was “like unto” the first, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” ( Matthew 22:39)
The Lord's expectations in relation to the second great commandment are the same as the first, namely, that love will be something that we do.
It is very common to think of love in relation to romantic love, and this is not a bad place to start, as the married relationship is the end to which the feelings of romantic love are given. Christ likens the married state and married love to the covenant relationship he made with his church and each of us. Marriage acts as the intimate school of love in this life and in the relationship we have the opportunity to develop the characteristics related to Godly love.
A favorite song of mine demonstrates the principles of action in the loving of a spouse.
Something That We Do
I remember well the day we wed
I can see that picture in my head
I still believe the words we said
Forever will ring true
Love is certain, love is kind
Love is yours and love is mine
But it isn't something that we find
It's something that we do
It's holding tight, lettin' go
It's flying high and laying low
Let your strongest feelings show
And your weakness, too
It's a little and a lot to ask
An endless and a welcome task
Love isn't something that we have
It's something that we do
We help to make each other all that we can be
Though we can find our strength and inspiration independently
The way we work together is what sets our love apart
So closely that you can't tell where I end and where you start
It gives me heart remembering how
We started with a simple vow
There's so much to look back on now
Still it feels brand-new
We're on a road that has no end
And each day we begin again
Love's not just something that we're in
It's something that we do
We help to make each other all that we can be
Though we can find our strength and inspiration independently
The way we work together is what sets our love apart
So closely that you can't tell where I end and where you start
Love is wide, love is long
Love is deep and love is strong
Love is why I love this song
And I hope you love it too
I remember well the day we wed
I can see that picture in my head
Love isn't just those words we said
It's something that we do
There's no request too big or small
We give ourselves, we give our all
Love isn't someplace that we fall
It's something that we do
(Songwriters: Clint Black / Donald Ewing Ii)
What is true in our marriage relationships, is also in our relationship with God and others, love isn’t someplace that we fall but rather it is something that we mindfully do. That love isn’t simply something we say, but something that we do. Love isn’t something that we’re in, but something that we do. Love isn't just something that we have, but something that we do. Love isn't something that we find, it's something that we do.
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