What Is Love?

From Advent: A 25 Day Countdown to Christmas on YouVersion

What do you think of when you read the word “love”? Is your mind overflowing with people and your heart filled with gratitude for the life around you? Or perhaps it’s a bit more difficult to wrap your head around such a complex idea.

How would you describe love to someone else? How would they know you were being loving through your words and actions? Keep these questions in mind as you approach our readings over the next few days.

One of the many incredible things about God’s love is that it’s more than a feeling. We can see God’s love in action throughout the Bible, but we see it most clearly in the New Testament in the way Jesus lived.

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” – Luke 1:26-33 ESV

As we enter our final week of Advent, we’ll take a closer look at love, which is following Jesus’ example by treating everyone as valuable and worthy of sacrificial care.

We can start by looking at one of the most clear examples of Jesus’ love. In the Gospel of John, we read one of the most popular and well-known verses in the Bible:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. –  John 3:16 NIV

From the beginning of time, God has loved the world. And in this world He loves, there are billions of people, yet He knows each of one uniquely and individually. Despite any decisions or choices each person has made, God has chosen to love us unconditionally.

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. – 1 John 3:16 ESV

As believers, we celebrate this love throughout the year and choose to focus on it specifically during the Advent season.

But how do we respond if love feels difficult this year? When we’re experiencing grief, disappointment, or the feeling of being forgotten, we can choose to lean into what we know is true of God—that He is love.

And God tangibly showed His ultimate act of love by becoming a human. He didn’t shout His love from heaven, but came to earth to demonstrate His love for us through Jesus.

No matter how you’re feeling this season, there are opportunities to see God’s love at work in your life in every moment of your day. You might start small, thanking God for a new morning when you wake up. Or you might reflect on the ways He provided for you throughout the day before you go to sleep.

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. – 1 John 4:16 ESV

Pause and Pray:

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving and caring for me. No matter what my life looks like right now, I trust that You have a good plan that You’re working together for my good. Help me to see the endless ways You show Your love. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Reflect or Discuss:

What do you think of when you hear the word “love”? How can you see God’s love for you in your life today? To learn more about God’s love, check out this article.