FIRST USE OF "LOVE"
The first mention of love in
the Bible occurs in the passage concerning Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice
his son, Isaac. This is a foreshadowing or “type” of the heavenly Father’s
sacrifice of His only begotten Son Jesus.
We are not told that Adam
loved his wife or that Noah loved his children, although it could be argued
that this unstated love was demonstrated. We are not even told that Sarah loved
Abraham. It is fitting that the first mention of love in the Bible is a
father’s love for his son. We begin to understand some basic concepts about
love: 1) Abraham loved his son as a father should, 2) Obedience to God
supersedes human love, 3) God loved Abraham and provided the ram to replace
Isaac, 4) God loves humans enough to sacrifice His beloved Son, Jesus, 5) As
God’s children we are to emulate His sacrificial love.
The first fruit of the Spirit
is love. Loving as the Father has loved us. Self-sacrificing love for God and
for people. This kind of love can only be cultivated in you if the Holy Spirit
is flowing through you. Because Father God willingly offered His Son on the
cross, those who believe are the beneficiaries of this tremendously selfless
gift of love. Once we come to accept and embrace the love of God our Father, we
are filled with His Holy Spirit who enables us to increasingly love others as
Jesus first loved us.
Have you experienced the
Father’s love? If you have, are you searching out ways to share this love God
so graciously bestowed upon you with those within the sphere of your influence?
Jesus freely gave His love. Freely give love to others.
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