So Jacob served seven years to have Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her. (Genesis 29:20) The love of Jacob for Rachel is the seed of the creation of the tribes of Israel. His love enabled him to endure seven years of labor, the imposition of Rachel’s older sister Leah , and an additional seven years of work for Laban, his wives’ father. Surely it was a deep and enduring love.

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, (John 11: 5) When Jesus saw Mary weeping . . . he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him ? . He asked. . . Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how he loved them!” (John 11:33) The deeply real and personal love Jesus felt for Lazarus’ family led to the stunning miracle of the raising of Lazarus and ultimately to Jesus’ own death and resurrection.

Later, St. Paul would write, “Now Faith, Hope, and Love abide, but the greatest of these is love. (1Corinthans 13:13) The “greatness” of love is expressed throughout the Old and New New Testaments, but often in our world the idea of love is associated with weakness instead of greatness. Wherever that happens, we miss the truth, for the apostle John wrote , God is love.

In many of his letters, St. Paul expressed the greatness of love: And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best. . . (Philippians 1:9)

The passages concerning love are vital, as they refer to the very character of God: we love because He first loved us. (1 John 4:20) If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. (1 John 4:15)

The dictionary defines love as “an intense feeling of deep affection,” but the Scriptures point to something much more than feelings. They point instead to a joyful, life-giving Person who shares His spirit with those who believe. Love is, indeed, a Person.

Love in Him,

Prue