You want to know what love is? Here I will show you: Joshua 24:2-14 "And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, [...] Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan, and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac. And to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. And I gave Esau the hill country of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt. And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt with what I did in the midst of it, and afterward I brought you out. ‘Then I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea. And the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea. And when they cried to the Lord, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians and made the sea come upon them and cover them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt. And you lived in the wilderness a long time. Then I brought you to the land of the Amorites, who lived on the other side of the Jordan. They fought with you, and I gave them into your hand, and you took possession of their land, and I destroyed them before you. [...] it was not by your sword or by your bow. I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant. Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness." Love is not a deal to make with someone, but rather a promise you make to them. Love is putting someone first even -- no, especially when they put you last. God showed his love for his people by walking them step by step toward the promise he made to them. He showed his love even more deeply when he did so, despite their sin and disregard for God. He did not call off his promise because they suddenly didn't deserve it (since they never deserved it in the first place). He did the same for us when Jesus Christ walked each step to the cross. We never deserved that love and sacrifice, but he took it on because he is sincere and faithful.
Romans 5:6-8 "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Now what do we do? first of all, the greatest thing we can do in return, while we can never pay him back, is to do our best, with his help, to love him the way he loves us: sincerely and faithfully. And Also to love those around us in the same way: SINCERELY AND FAITHFULLY. Despite how they hurt us. Despite what they "deserve." Love. And keep on loving. Because God loves you. And you love God.
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