A few months ago I wrote about words and the importance of what we say and how we say it. I’ve been thinking about words again and what they can do for us.
Like great works of art, great words can move us. The first time that I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, I cried. Seeing the actual paintings that I had seen only in books beforehand was an exciting experience for me. It gave me a whole new perspective on the art that I had always admired.
The first time that I read “Charlotte’s Web”, I cried. I was only 9 years old, but it stirred me, which is pretty incredible considering that I was touched by the death of a spider! This was my first experience with the art of words.
Then, I heard the Bible taught so that I could understand it, and I cried. Understanding the words that beforetime were merely print on a page, changed my life. And although I appreciate many forms of art, God’s matchless Word surpasses them all!
The Bible is the greatest of all works of art. It was ‘painted’ with words that holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the spirit of God. (2 Peter 1:21) These words are truth, and they are the words of life. A painting may move us, and a book may inspire us, but neither can save us. Only God’s Word can do that! And for that reason, the Bible is the most valuable thing that we have in our lives.
The Bible is composed of words. Words that God wants us to know. Words that have a great impact on our lives. Words that teach us about God. One of those words is “love”. It is that word in its various forms that I would like to explore this week.
The word love is commonplace these days. People ‘love’ everything from shoes to pizza. I myself am guilty of indiscriminate use of the word, but in my mind, I qualify it in the context. For example, I say, “I love my house”. That means thankfulness to me. I am very thankful for my house. It’s my dream house. Also, I say things like, “I love movies”. That means enjoyment to me. But somehow saying, “I enjoy movies”, doesn’t seem to be a strong enough statement. However, neither of these are statements of real love – that’s just the word I use. But when I say, “I love my family and my friends”, I mean that I love them and actually it also includes enjoying them and being thankful for them. But this love involves affection, commitment, compassion, and selfless giving. And it is patterned after the true love that the Bible teaches.
There are three Greek words used in the Bible that are translated “love”. But the one I want to consider is “agape”, which is “the love of God”. Even though it is a Greek word, it is familiar to many Christians. The verb form, “agapao” is used in John 3:16, which gives us some insight into its character. “Agape” appears in the New Testament 117 times, and “agapao”, 142 times. These numbers alone indicate that God has much to say about His love.
God’s love is unconditional. His love is eternal. His love is beyond our comprehension. God gives His love freely to us. He withholds no good thing from us. God’s love is the foundation for everything that He has made us to be, for everything that we have been given, and for everything that the future holds for us. God’s love heals us, delivers us, protects us, and guides us.
Remembering that God loves us, changes things. Try looking in the mirror and saying, “God loves me!” You might have to repeat those words a few times before they sink in, but when they do, you will see your burdens lifted and a new spring in your step. Words did that for you.
I make little notes for myself to remind me of things. One such note is something I heard in a Bible teaching. It says, “Do you see yourself as someone that God deeply loves?” I must admit that is a difficult question for me sometimes. But regardless of my reservations, I am someone that God deeply loves – AND SO ARE YOU! Many times we are called “beloved” in the Bible. That is the way God looks at us. We must hold on to those loving words, and cling to God’s declaration of love for us.
But God’s love isn’t just something we receive; it is also something that we are supposed to give. We are instructed in the Bible (by words) to love one another. Of course, we know that love is more than just saying the words; but think about what hearing those words means to us. If no one ever told us that they loved us, it would be hard to believe that they did. And the opposite is also true. If someone told us that they loved us, but never acted like it, we would doubt their love as well. Look at God’s example. He tells us (in words) that He loves us over and over again. And He demonstrates His love countless times in remarkable ways. God says what He means and means what He says! His words are perfect and pure.
Here are some great words to remember:
1 Corinthians 13:13
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
“Charity” in this verse both times is the Greek word “agape”. Faith and hope are great, but the greatest is God’s love. Allow these words to permeate your thinking every day and see what they will do for you!
Note to my readers: Words are the lifeline between us. Thanks for reading!