When God created man, He lovingly breathed His own breath into our lungs, animating us to life through His Life.
The time came when the Lord
God formed a man’s body from the dust of the ground and breathed into it the
breath of life. And man became a living person. (Genesis 2:7 TLB)
And within His Life was His Love…we were birthed in love. God is love (see 1 John 4:16)
Then, the fall happened, and that love was lost as a
casualty of sin; that fall was about disobedience, which involved misplaced
desire. Humanity replaced the sacred with the profane. The love connection was
broken, not on God’s part but on man’s; we forgot how to truly love.
But Jesus,
For God loved the world so
much that he gave his only Son (see John 3:16)
Jesus came to restore all that was lost and stolen – to bring
us back to God and to His love. That is Good News! John 10:10 says that Jesus
came that we may have an abundant life. That speaks of a life of genuine
authentic love – love for God with all your heart, soul, and strength,
and love for neighbour as yourself; a life full of meaningful relationships
rooted in the Love that only God can give. Jesus came to bring us back to the
garden of intimacy.
Deep within each of us exists that instinctual need for the
love that was presumably lost that fateful day in the garden. We are always searching for it, in all the wrong
places though because the love we think we want is not the love we need.
What if the love you’re chasing isn’t the love you’re meant
to have?
What if the love you are yearning to give and to get is not physical but rooted in the spiritual?
Human beings crave connection but it’s not the connection
that is dictated by the world’s skewed standards. It is the connection that was
severed by the fall in Eden.
You are connected yet lonely; engaged yet disconnected;
involved but there’s distance. What is happening? If love is distant then it’s
not love. You say you’re in love, but your heart feels empty.
Our souls long for a deeper love a more authentic love…love
that is very patient and kind, love that is never jealous or envious, love that
is never boastful or proud, love that is never haughty or selfish or
rude, love that does not demand its own way, love that is not irritable or
touchy, love that does not hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others
do it wrong, love that is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever
truth wins out, love that is loyal no matter what the cost, love that always
believes in you, love that always expects the best, love that always stands its
ground in defending you, love that goes on forever. (see 1 Corinthians 13)
Now that is a tall order! Can this love ever be found? Yes,
but in God alone. It cannot be found in its entirety in corrupted humanity, but
we can find elements of it in ourselves and in others. We can learn to love again. We can aspire to reach the
profundity of such love.
Beloved, authentic love is shaped by depth not only pleasure.
Love that is based on pleasure alone will eventually dissolve into inadequacy.
Our love must grow out of the Love that comes from God; it’s
the only way that we can truly love Him, ourselves and one another.
“…you see, our love for him
comes as a result of his loving us first.”
(1 John 4:19 TLB)
God is extending to you an invitation to love deeply.
Make space for God. Make time for God. Be motivated to love by
God’s love for you. Intentionally choose to love. Choose intimacy with God
rather than fleeting indulgences. Seek what is best, not just for yourself but more so for
others.
“…put on and wrap
yourselves in [unselfish] love, which is the perfect bond of unity [for
everything is bound together in agreement when each one seeks the best for
others].” (Colossians 3:14 AMP)
Fully embrace God’s invitation to always act in love that is rich in
meaning – His Love.
“Let all that you do be done
in love.” (1 Corinthians 16:14
ESV)
God's desire is for you to give and receive love that is harmonious,
devoid of the discord of control and selfishness. Love that does not involve your
striving to receive it but has a natural rhythmic movement to it. Love that is
deep yet light…not burdensome. Love that’s uninterrupted by chaos and confusion
and endless drama.
Godly-Love feels and has a sweet fragrance.
Godly-Love is unspoken, there’s no need to announce it to others.
Godly-Love, genuine love, is seen in action and sensed.
Love is the driving force that sustains us on the road to
Pentecost. As your journey continues, turn to God to learn how to love; let go
of control; let go of your expectations of love – how it should look; love others
for who they are and not who you hope they will be…someday.
Amen †
Shelley Johnson “On the Road to Pentecost: Invitation to
Love Deeply” © 2025 May 27, 2025
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