The Greatest Love of Them All

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Love---We throw the word around so freely in today's society. We say we love things, people, places, and so much more. We let the word slip out without much thought of what the true meaning of it is. With Valentines Day right around the corner we will see even more "love" being tossed around. Millions of flowers will be purchased, chocolates will be received, and even proposals will be delivered to significant others in hopes of spending forever together. All of these things, as good as they are, can sometime mask the true value and meaning of love.

I am sure that most of us are familiar with the famous "love chapter" in the bible...

1 Corinthians 13- 4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Or-how about we visit the verse where Jesus himself tells us "Greater love has no one then this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13. Better yet, lets go to {The Greatest Love Of Them All}- "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16!!!

But how many of us LIVE by these verses?

Friend- the scripture tells us that He died for YOU! He died for me; for us! So that we wouldn't perish, but instead have life! How exciting is that? His gift- the greatest sacrificial gift- is far more valuable than any massive bouquet of flowers, piece of jewelry, or the most decadent chocolate ever made. Sometimes society can force us into looking for and even receiving love in all the wrong areas. Remember today that the measure in which you are loved is not determined by how many gifts you receive, how many dates you are offered, or even how many words of love are spoken to you.

Love is an expression! Jesus didn't just say he loved us- He demonstrated it by dying on a cross for you and I to have eternal life. Let's all be honest, there has at least been a time or two in which our parents have said to us, "your actions speak louder than words". The truth is they absolutely do! What they meant by this was simply-prove it to me- show me by your actions that what your saying is true. The bible says it this way, "you will recognize them by their fruit". In other words, whatever fruit (actions) you produce, people will know your character by them. They will know that you love them without the purchasing of things, but instead by the way you express it!

By no means am I saying that we can verbalize "I love you" too frequently to those we truly love, but what I am saying is we must come to know the TRUE meaning of love and its important that we express our love to others as Christ did for us!

Tonight I'm leaving you with my utmost favorite scripture (not just on love) in the entire bible... For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

~Romans 8:38-39~

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In His Grip,

Sarah Abernathy