The Love of God. The Goodness of God. How meaningful are those words to you?
We hear the word “love” perhaps once a day or say how much we love this outfit and that pair of shoes. Or what about the cutesy tiny glass mason jars that can hold overnight oats??
There are so many expressions of love… From all things that have somehow been miniaturized to a great cup of brewed coffee–there is so much to enjoy and love about life. Or how about the love we have for all the carefully arranged food shots or travel pics–you know where the person has the gorgeous white, clean background and it all looks–just perfect. I love seeing stuff like that. I cannot be the only one in this!
That type of love I will designate it as enjoying the beauty of life or rather “omorfiá tis zoís” in the Greek. (So I cannot say it aloud and why Greek?? well I am getting there!)
This Love of God. The Greek word “agape”. Interesting. Very interesting.
The word agape is referenced over 200 times throughout the New Testament. We all know the famous scripture John 3:16: For God so loved (agaped) the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
All things considered and whatever place you come from in reading this, God’s love for us is a different form of love.
Switching gears.
Just recently heard John Maxwell share a powerful message about self-worth and he quotes one of his friends as saying: “You will only accomplish in your life what your self worth lets you accomplish.”
Wow.
This seems to parallel the scripture: Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 3 John 2.
What’s the point?
This love of God–this agape love when considered is freeing. Liberating. Delivering. When we continue to consider it we can see better. Prosper better. We can love others better and thereby do more, be more.
The love that we allow ourselves to receive from our God heals. It frees us from condemnation. It frees us from our fears. It allows us to be who we are meant to be.
We are not expected to earn it. We are to just accept it.
Now that is Good.
Food for thought: