The Essence of Love: Rooted in God, Lived Through Us

In a world filled with countless definitions of love, it’s easy to get lost in surface-level emotions and fleeting moments. Love is one of the most profound and powerful forces in existence, yet its true meaning is often misunderstood. The world presents love in many forms—romantic gestures, fleeting emotions, and conditional acceptance—but true love is far deeper. At its core, love originates from God, for He is love itself. As we celebrate the month of love, let’s take a deeper dive into the true meaning of love—one that goes beyond mere feelings and romantic gestures. Join me as we unpack the essence of love, rooted in God, and discover how we can love Him, ourselves, and others in the way He intended.

The True Nature of Love

Love is a doing word—it cannot be expressed outside of God, for God is love. The very character of God defines love, and His actions speak of love in volumes. From the beginning of time, as stated in Genesis 1:1, God created the universe for us. Out of love, He prepared a space where we were meant to dwell and rejoice with Him before the fall of man.

God is intentional about us. Even after the fall, He ensured that we would be born after Christ—who died for our sins before we were even born. He recreated the Garden of Eden, the original dwelling place for humanity. Today, as believers, we experience a restored relationship with God—our own spiritual Garden of Eden—where we are called to live abundantly in His presence.

God loved us so much that He created us in His own image. He gave us authority and even bestowed upon us power, calling us ‘gods’ (Psalm 82:6). His love was so deep that He gave His only begotten Son for our sins—to redeem and deliver us (John 3:16). He also gave us His Spirit as a helper, so that we may remain in Him at all times. If this isn’t love, then I don’t know what is.

Loving God: A Heartfelt Devotion

Mark 12:30 instructs us: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." But how do we truly love God with all our hearts?

Our hearts hold the fountain of life—everything flows from it (Proverbs 4:23). Loving God begins in our hearts. It means surrendering fully to Him, aligning our desires with His will, and allowing His love to transform us. When we love God with our whole being, we live in obedience to His word, trust in His plans, and cultivate a deep relationship with Him through prayer, worship, and service.

Loving God with all our hearts means giving Him our lives. We ought to live for Him as He died for us. Before proclaiming your love for God to others, take a moment for introspection and ask yourself if you truly mean it. People often say that you make time for the one you love—if you truly love the Lord, do you make time for Him?

Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15). In Mark 12:30, when asked about the greatest commandment, He answered that it is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Essentially, in John 14:15, He was reaffirming that true love for Him means loving Him completely, not partially. Love is more than a feeling; it is a commitment. And the greatest expression of love is to dwell in His presence, follow His commands, and reflect His love to others.

Loving God with Our Soul, Mind, and Strength

The soul acts as the intermediary between the flesh and the spirit. Loving God with our soul means expressing our love through our emotions and our daily living. It involves including Him in everything we do and thinking about Him even in difficult moments.

Loving God with our mind tends to be one of the greatest challenges for many Christians, but it shouldn't be—because we have the mind of Christ. Jesus never separated Himself from God. Whenever He spoke of Himself, He also acknowledged God. He was humble and obedient, living the life God called Him to live. As believers, we are encouraged in Ephesians 4:1-2 to live a life worthy of our calling, bearing with one another in love. Let us then live a life worthy of the blood of the Lamb, which united us with Abba Adonai.

 

Even when we feel weak, our strength in Christ is never depleted. His power works best in our weaknesses, and He infuses us with inner strength (Philippians 4:13).

Extending God’s Love to Others

Now that we understand how to love God, we must also explore the attributes of love and how to better love both God and His people. Mark 12:31 states that we should love our neighbor as ourselves. This means we must first love ourselves before we can extend love to others.

 

Many people believe they understand self-love, but practicing it can reveal deeper struggles. Sometimes, attachment issues arise because we seek love from others rather than recognizing God’s love. It becomes easy to idolize human relationships, forgetting God's love when things are going well and only remembering it when challenges arise. This happens when we allow our minds to be carnally driven, believing in what we see rather than trusting in God's truth.

Finding validation in people can be tempting because we physically hear and see them, while God's affirmation is often not as tangible. This is why it is crucial to love God with our minds. When we align our thoughts with His truth, we gain a steadfast love that cannot be shaken. Loving God with all our being ensures that we will never go wrong.

The True Attributes of Love

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 describes love as patient and kind, without envy or boastfulness. Love does not dishonor others, is not self-seeking, nor easily angered, and keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. True love requires selflessness, humility, and a willingness to see others as God sees them. To improve our love, we must strive to be more patient, kind, and forgiving while constantly seeking God's guidance in how we relate to others. Love is not about mere emotions but a daily decision to act in love through our words and deeds.

As Jesus reminds us in John 15:9, "As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love." To truly love, we must remain in Christ, drawing from His endless well of love and reflecting it in our daily lives.

 As we reflect on the depths of God’s love, let us be intentional in our relationship with Him. Just as He has loved us with an everlasting love, we are called to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. This love requires action—it calls us to seek Him, to live out His word, and to invite His presence into every area of our lives. Let this be an invitation for you to be intentional about drawing closer to God, to love Him with purpose, and to allow His love to flow through you to others. May we never take His love for granted, but live each day in full surrender to the One who loved us first. Let’s respond to His call with a heart that says, “Yes, Lord, I choose You.