Delight & Be Love {February’s Theme}
Happy February!
On every first of the month we want to introduce you to Delight’s theme for the month! We want to invite you to join us as we prepare our hearts for each theme and get excited for what we will learn through each theme! Without further ado, I’ll let sweet Emily Wall take over :)
It’s the month where you walk into any store (ahem, Target ;)), and the shelves are filled with all things red and pink. Hearts are overused in text messages, red roses are ordered by florists in bulk, and sweetheart candies are flying off the shelves. It’s the month of Valentines Day, after all. The month where most men are probably frantically trying to reserve a table at the most popular restaurant for a date with their lady, and those who are single are posting on Facebook about their “date” with a chick flick and a box of chocolates.
It’s the month of the year where love is taken so out of context. After all, what is love? What does it mean to really love someone?
Let’s go back to the root of it all. Where love is defined. Where we learn what love really means. So many of us think that love means writing a letter and spritzing it with your favorite perfume, or giving someone a gift. You know, just to let them know they’re thought of. We think love is physical affection, sweet kisses or warm embraces. We think love is a deep feeling of affection for someone. Why wouldn’t we? That’s what Webster’s dictionary says anyways.
But…what does love look like to Jesus? What does He say love is? 1 John 3:16-18 says this, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
Love was poured out and given to US freely through a sacrifice. What a gift. That Jesus Christ gave Himself as the ultimate sacrifice to display and demonstrate that love is sacrificial. It is selfless, it is full of grace and sometimes…love hurts. Love isn’t always easy. It’s a choice. It’s a lifestyle of choosing to put someone else’s needs before your own. In relationships and marriage, love isn’t always a feeling. It’s not always red roses and smooth dark chocolate. Love is taking out the trash and doing it willingly. It’s coming alongside those you care for and sacrificially, selflessly, unconditionally vowing to serve and give. It’s a daily surrender and choice that we have the privilege of adopting and accepting as a lifestyle to bless those around us.
So then begs the question. Why? Why should we love? Matthew 22:37-39 says, “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.’ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
No matter in a romantic relationship, within your own family, or in the community you live in, love can be given freely and unconditionally. God displayed love in the ultimate way, and He continues to every single day of our lives here on earth unconditionally, despite our sin, our shame, our flaws, and He says, “I choose you.”
Love is an unconditional commitment to serve an imperfect person. Love is what you do and the way in which you do it. It is not always being fulfilled with an emotion, but it’s being fulfilled by the Spirit by serving in a way that He serves us, and what a gift it is!
So here I am to challenge you this month where the pink and red m&ms are mighty tempting and the sweetheart candies are calling your name…to make a commitment to love.
As you consider what love is…consider these too!
>> That God is _____________
>> He displays love _________________________
>> And in _________________________ ways, I want to become more Christlike in the manner in which I love.
And finally,
Today, I choose to love ___________________ in these ways:
Xoxo! Be filled with love this month,
Emily Wall
VERSE:
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:16-18
