Love

Love's a pretty huge deal, isn't it? Unfortunately, our society has severely limited love. We limit it by allowing it only to relate to romantic relationships. We cheapen it by saying we "love" this food or that toy or that song you heard on the radio the other day that you hadn't heard in years. If only all the meanings for love hadn't been lost in translation. How can such a huge concept be contained in just one word? Chalk it up to another inadequacy of English. The Ancient Greek distinguishes four different meanings for love: agape, eros, philia, and storge.

Agape--This is the greatest of all loves. Agape expresses true and unconditional love. It is the perfect love that God has for us and that we try to reflect here on Earth. After all, God is love. 1 John 4:8 This is the love that causes you to sacrifice for others. "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13 It is the law, the greatest commandment: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-39 This is my command: Love each other. John 15:17 Pretty simple. But not easy.

Eros--This is a more romantic love, embodying passion, sensuousness, and desire. This is that spark you feel when you're with the one you love intimately. It is often revealed in dating relationships and marriage--a wonderful feeling to hold onto. Let's head to Song of Songs. There is certainly plenty of eros talk there. And without wasting any time: Song of Songs 1:2-4 Song of Songs 1: 15-16 Trust me, there's plenty more. And I'm guessing this love was conveyed in more ways than writing.

Philia--This is brotherly love. Philadelphia: "city of brotherly love." It's the way we love our friends and family. We want to spend time with them (hopefully) and serve them. We were created to have these types of relationships with one another. Proverbs 17:17 It pleases God to see us fellowship with one another in His name.

Storge--I'm not going to lie: I've never really heard of this one before. But I guess it means affection, like the affection parents will have for their child(ren). "Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him." Psalms 127:3 Children are a blessing, and we naturally feel affectionate towards them (well, most of us).

There certainly is a lot of love in the Bible. If we love God and love others, we fulfill the law. Loving is exactly what we're called to do. But it isn't always easy. I'm sure there are people in your life that you find difficult to love. But that doesn't make you any less called to love them. In Luke 6:32, Jesus calls us to love ALL. Not just the people we want to love or find it easy to love. We should love our enemies, and pray for them. Matthew 5:44-48 Visit Paul's love chapter, 1 Corinthians 13. Dwell in it, soak it up. Love never fails. God is love. God never fails. God hasn't left us alone. He has poured his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:5 He made the ultimate sacrifice for us--giving His Son, giving Himself. Agape in its truest form. Jesus loved us while we were sinners. He prayed for us. And He died for us. His commands are to love, give, pray. Let's obey.