The love of God gives and does not take

FRIDAY, OCT. 5: 1 John 4: 7: Beloved, let us love one another: For love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

Lately, I have been thinking on the fact that most people expect the young people of today to treat each other better, show respect for each other, and have love for others.

While I certainly agree with that desire, I am a bit concerned that many of these young people are expected to show love when they have not been introduced to the God of love.

What a challenging place for the world. While the world has become more liberated from God, the world does not get it.

The world misses out on the fact that being liberated from God is akin to being liberated from the essence of pure love.

A baby is born and it is called a miracle. Both the sinners and the saints thank God for bringing them through labour and blessing them with a healthy new baby.

The young male meets the girl of his dreams, and he thanks the good Lord above for making dreams comes true.

The couple decides to establish love for each other in a forever moment called marriage, and they stand before God and promise the God of love that they will love each other forever.

There are moments in life when many people have absolutely no problem acknowledging God, love overflows in their life, and the showers of blessings are flowing continuously.

Think about it. What if the baby was born and no thanks were given, the boy met his dream girl and did not give thanks, or the couple got married and no thanks and honour were given.

That is what you would have with an absence of the love of God.

In essence, a world void of God’s love leaves room for the antithesis of love, which is hate. And that is what we see in Bermuda.

As the love of God is slowly erased, hatred begins to take effect. Crime cannot help but increase because of the absence of the honour of and respect for God. 

Isn’t this something?  What many thought was a liberating move — in not encouraging their children to attend church — has actually resulted in a move closer towards those things that exist outside of God’s presence.

God is love. Hence the absence of God is the absence of the power of the love of God.

Love is very powerful. The love of God will cause you to love your enemies, love your brother and your sister, and love those who have no love towards you. That is the very essence of God’s love.

How can they love today? How can you ask them to love when they are minus the giver of love?

How can you ask them to do what love would do? Can they ‘turn’ the other cheek?

Can they walk away from evil? Can they shun the very appearance of evil? No, they cannot. Not if they have not already learned how to love.

The love of God is about sacrifice. In other words, you would rather they have than you have.

The love of God gives and it does not take. The love of God embraces and encourages, it does not disgrace.

It sounds so simple, but the cure to the ills of our society is wrapped up in a word called ‘love’.

Empty

Yet, when the boy has no father, he is missing love. The girl who has no father is missing love.

The youth, who have no one to give them love and attention, are missing something.

Hence, they will set about to fill in their empty spaces and places.

Those places will be filled. They must be filled. The question is, will those empty spaces and places be filled with God’s love or another form of love; the counterfeit love.

Oh, people! Depending on what kind of love fills the hearts of the children and the youth will be seen manifested in society.

Let’s return to the God of Love. Give God’s love an opportunity to grow in your life.

You have tried it without God and now it is time to try life with God.

As John Lennon said, ‘All you need is love’. I say, ‘All you need is God’s love’.

Blessings Abound.

Dr Maria A. Seaman is the pastor of Shekinah Worship Centre, North Shore, Hamilton Parish.