God's Valentine

My Sweet Baby Valentine Last Year.....Aw.

This is one of my favorite pics from Valentine's Day - it's a year old, but it was one of those magical and very rare mommy moments when a project shared with a then 2 year old worked out as well as I'd imagined and was received as well as I'd hoped.  I love this baby girl....she is precious to me.  As I thought about Valentine's Day this year, I wanted to share something that's been bouncing around in my heart.

I’m sure that you’ve heard about agape love, it’s often thrown around in church as a reminder to love unconditionally.  We are told that God loves us that way and so we should love one another that way – and that’s pretty much right.  Until you have to make decisions in real relationships where unconditional love becomes very hazy, or until you find yourself frustrated at God because you feel very conditionally loved by Him because of loss or lack.  What then?

Let me share something I’ve learned about the way God loves.  In studying the word Agape (which is the Greek word for love in the New Testament) I dug up this amazing part of the definition.  Here it is from my favorite Word Study Dictionary……[Warning, we are about to wade into smarty-pants territory, feel free to fast forward to the underlined part at the end, but I promise it’s worth it!]

“Agape:  Meaning benevolent love.  Its benevolence, however, is not shown by doing what the person loved desires but what the one who loves deems as needed by the one loved.  He [God] gave not what man wanted, but what man needed as God perceived his need, namely His son who brought forgiveness to man. God’s love for man is His doing what He thinks best for man and not what man desires.  It is God’s willful direction toward man. “

Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary New Testament, p. 878.

There are some terrifying parts of this definition but some very comforting parts too.  The “me” that doesn’t like to be bossed chafes a bit that God doesn’t do what I desire – but we don’t like her very much.  The “me” that wants to follow Him and trust Him walking by faith is comforted by the fact that God loves me enough to do what’s best for me no matter what.  This means He is doing what is best for me always:

·        Even when what I desire is wrong and I don’t know it.

·        Even when I’m angry and throwing a temper tantrum.

·        Even when I’m bargaining with Him in a misunderstood attempt to manipulate.

·        Even when others I’ve trusted have hurt me or abandoned me.

·        Even when the plans I thought He’s led me into are not successful and I’m confused.

·        Even when life is weird and painful and I feel lost from His will.

·        Even when…….(you fill in your own personal doubts and insecurities). 

One other thing I learned about love.  The only difference between the way God loves us and the way we love (in our own efforts) is the “direction of the will”.  In other words, when God loves me with Agape love (and He always does) it is because He has chosen to.  He turns His intention toward me and pours His love into my life with an all-knowing delight for my best, not my ease.  We love based on what comes easily to us - whoever is easy to befriend or be contented with.  God loves with a protective, never-be-swayed, lavish, abundant, patient and enduring love.  “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” 1 John 3:1 The exclamation points are all Him – that’s the “direction of His will”.  He lavishes His love upon you and me because He wants to, because He has chosen to love us and we are His children and He can’t even begin to help Himself. 

In case no one has told you today, hear it from God –

Happy Valentine’s Day, You are loved!