“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love - John 15:9
Love is by far the single most important ingredient needed by all living things. Its impact can greatly influence the quality of a successful life lived.
Love is an emotion that's hardwired into our very DNA and a crucial building block needed to navigate our existence.
We are drawn to it like a moth is to a flame on a dark night. It's the oxygen needed to overcome our selfishness and greed caused by our inherent sinful nature.
In 1997 the movie Titanic grossed $2.19 billion in revenue and is still the highest-earning love story in box office history. The ironic part is it's not even a happy-ever-after ending but one that's tragic.
There are many forms of love available to choose from but only one has the power to save us and determine our future. That love is known as agape!
Agape, (Greek agapē,) in the New Testament, is the fatherly love of God for humans, as well as the human reciprocal love for God.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
- John 3:16
No other form of love can save your soul and yet it's available to anyone who so chooses to place their trust in it for guaranteed redemption.
Although it's free to receive it does have a personal cost that can not be avoided. That cost is to agree to be transformed by learning to become selfless by placing others' needs above our own.
Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others - Philippians 2:4
As we study the scriptures we learn that it's more than just being nice to others. It requires us to offer forgiveness to others who have hurt or wronged us even though they don't deserve it. In time we realize we don't deserve it either and that's why it is so powerful and transformative.
And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
- Ephesians 4:32
If we desire to see changes in this world we live in receiving agape love by faith in Christ is the only way to reciprocate it. Perfect love between God the Father and God the Son is the model we must follow after.
And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him - 1 John 4:16