“In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.”
~Ephesians 1:4b-6
“In love…” How wonderful! This love is not just an emotional response, but it is also responsive action. God responds to His own desire by willing and bestowing the title of an adoptive family member upon us; something He chose to do and feel, as verse 4 says, before the realm of Creation even existed. God has been carrying us in his heart and mind since eternity. THAT is love!
There are four different words in the Koine Greek which are sometimes translated into our one English word love. These four are erós, from which we get erotic or sexual attraction, storgay, which describes familial love, phil-eō, which is the brotherly love of deep relationships with friends through camaraderie and unity, and agapè, which is a love of sacrifice; putting another before self.
We know from history and the from the study of the classical Greek language and thought that agapè-love was the least commonly used word for of the four. The word bore a negative connotation with it because the predominant culture leading up to and of that time viewed agapè as a form of character weakness. That is, until Jesus… (read John 3:16).
The writings of the early Christians focused upon this love as the way to break down barriers of race, culture, social status, sexism, politics, and selfism. While erós, storgay, and phil-eō are loves which receive, agapè-love is a love of sacrificial giving.
No wonder Paul sings the praises of God in response to this great and all-encompassing love! God responded in agapè-love to imagine us. God responded in agapè-love to create us. God responded in agapè-love to redeem us… all of this love was before we even came into existence. Love’s responsive action of provisional grace—freely given—means that an offer stands for all of Creation to respond back to God’s invitation of adoption.
The Apostle John declared that God IS agapè-Love (1John). We learn from the rest of the Scriptures—both Old and New Testaments—that God is in love. God agapè-loves us with the same ferocious love through which the Trinity loves and communes together. Think back on verse 1:3 and upon what this love has given us when we receive it.
Wonderful full of wonder. The One who made you loves you.
THIS WEEK
- Using the definitions of the four loves from above, ask yourself to what degree you love yourself, substituting each of the four in place of our English word love. Yes… all four. Take your time with this, and let your mind follow each thought to conclusion.
- As you develop your morning intentions, contemplate how God's agapè-love is driving your life; The Creator of the Universe and all that it contains holds you in such a place of importance that it emotes self-sacrifice as a response to how you are invited into relationship with the Trinity.
- In light of God's purposeful intent to love you even before you came into existence, what does this same purposeful intent say to you about your life now that you live and move and have your being? Remember to look through the lens of agapè-love as you contemplate this throughout the week.
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