Love in action...

When God created the earth and everything in it there was only one thing he said was not good: the fact that man was alone. So he in turn created woman - the help meet, the easer - to help man do that which God has called him to do. Looking at the roll of a woman and the roll as a believer period- the biggest ingredient is love. Love is the driving force that pushes everything I believe in. The very nature of God is love therefore if love is the main ingredient, God is the main ingredient. It was God's love for man which caused him to create woman for him. It was God's love for mankind which caused him to send his only son to die for our wicked ways, and he commands us to love one another.

Ok, but what exactly is love? What does it look like? We all have so many different ideas of what love is or should be like that when it is in our face we can't see it. Love is not a feeling. It's an action. Its something that you do. This is love according to the amplified version of 1 Corinthians 13:

4Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. 5It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. 6It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. 7Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. 8Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].

I was having a conversation with a friend about what love was and she said something that sounded so profound. She said love is an act of faith. When you think about it... I guess she's right. Jesus had enough faith to die for a wicked group of sinners like us, because he knew [had the faith] to understand that his act of love would in turn cause his people to love him in return. He believed that his work would not be in vain and the ones he loved would receive him and love him. To love a husband, or love a wife is an act of faith. You have faith that they are going to remain faithful to the commitment made between you, them, and God, before a congregation of witnesses.

Christ is the bridegroom and we, the church. are the bride. If marriage isn't even about us, yet is a ministry all by itself. Whatever marriage I enter into is going to reflect my relationship and my walk. The truth is the church dogged Christ out and he did have to endure some pretty hurtful things, but he loved them in spite of. He still claimed them in spite of. He still laid down his life in spite of. He had the faith to see that they would eventually turn around. He knew these people he was dying for would eventually get this love thing right.

Love is not so much about a feeling. Love is a verb - its an action word. Love causes you to do things, without expectation of receiving something in return. Christ loved and received great persecutions. I'm really trying to learn this love thing. I want to do it the right way. I want to love for real - the way God does...