Love Welcomes You Home

What is “love”?

It depends on who you ask and where you search for its definition, as is with every other word or idea.

Read some secular, religious, cultural and historical definitions of love here, and below:

- an intense feeling of deep affection

- a deep romantic or sexual attachment to someone

- a great interest and pleasure in something

- a person or thing that one loves

We sometimes perceive love being attached to an emotion or feeling.

Rarely is love attributed to choice and / or effort.

Some people say they fell in love... and have fallen out of love.

Is this possible?

Perhaps if seeing or understanding love according to certain definitions can one fall in and out of love.

What is love to you?

“As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love. If you keep My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

- John 15: 9-13

This approach to love is to be extended to enemies:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

- Matthew 5: 43-48

And what is the effort and choices in effecting love to others?

What kind of “love” is this?

If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

Love never fails. 

- 1 Corinthians 13: 3-8a