I love you

God is love.

Simple enough, yes? But as I was sitting in worship service this morning, hearing this statement, a statement I have heard my entire life, it took on a deeper meaning for me.

God is love. That becomes more difficult to grasp as I attempt to merge my concept of God and my concept of love. God is so complex, so diverse, so deep He alone is difficult, if not impossible to wrap my brain around. And love? In the society, the culture, the family I grew up in, love has so many different meanings it can become impossible to figure out which meaning applies to God. But as I let that simple three word sentence penetrate to the depths of my soul, I begin to wonder if I don’t have it all wrong. Maybe my thinking is backwards. Maybe instead of applying my definitions of love to a God I don’t understand, maybe what I need to do is discard all my definitions of love altogether and apply to my life the only definition of love that matters: God’s.

Given the complexities of God, it would seem like that would be a difficult thing to do. However, God, in His infinite wisdom and grace, gave us a very human example of Himself in the form of Christ. He gave my small, inadequate, human mind something tangible, something I can actually get.

So, I have a tangible expression of God’s love for me. What did Christ do? He gave everything He had, everything He was to make it possible for me know the God. That is the good news of the gospel. That is what brings peace, joy and hope to my daily life. This is not news to me, however, today, a deeper understanding was revealed.

I am going to in my head, change what I say, what I mean, when I say “I love you.” When I make that statement, what will now be heard in my head is “I Christ you.” Okay, okay, I know the grammar is horrible but think about that statement just for a brief minute and hear the implications deep in your soul. What is really being said in that statement is this: “I would give all that I am and all that I have for you to know God.” Is that not the truest expression of love? 1 John 4:10 read “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” Jesus’ sacrifice was not just some ritual to fulfill the blood thirst of a vengeful, angry God. No, His sacrifice, His entire life, was for the purpose of letting us have access to and an intimate relationship with God.

So, before you say “I love you” the next time take a minute and consider do you really? Would you really give all that you have, all that you are so that the person you are talking to might know God? If not, why not? Remember what Romans 5:8 says before you heap judgment and condemnation upon that person. “…while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” If you can say, yes then ask yourself this-do I live that way to this person?