God’s Love and Justice (Lesson 4) God Is Passionate and Compassionate
IS THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE EMOTIONAL
Being emotional is often frowned upon. It can be seen as a lack of control or vulnerability, which is often associated with weakness.
In our society, especially in professional or high-pressure settings, logic is often valued over emotions.
Is showing emotions good or bad? Is God, the creator of the universe emotional?
Welcome back to our new series: God’s Love and Justice.
God is love. How we understand this affects our relationship with God.
Misunderstandings about God’s love lead to feelings of unworthiness, which can harm our relationships with Him and others.
His love is far greater than the defective idea of ” love “commonly observed today.
We will, therefore, seek to discover the beauty and depth of divine love; here we address the question:
Is God’s love emotional? As always, before we begin, let’s Pray.
God’s Love and Justice
(Lesson 4)
God Is Passionate and Compassionate
Part 1 Introduction
There are times that we might feel forgotten like nobody really cares or notices us.
This is a painful feeling. But what is lifting is to know that God cares deeply for you.
Yes, God—the Creator of heaven and earth—has emotions, and His love for us is greater than anything you can think or imagine.
In fact, Isaiah 49:15 lets us know that we are not forgotten:
“ ‘Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you’ ” (Isaiah. 49:15, NKJV).
Think about this: A mother’s bond with her child is one of the strongest in the world. But even if a mother could forget her baby, but God says, “I will never forget you.”
That’s how deep His love is for us. God’s love is persistent and unshakable. He doesn’t just remember us. He treasures us in His heart.
Some people think emotions or having strong feelings are not desirable and should be avoided.
Perhaps you’ve heard someone say, “He or she is too emotional,” or “She loves too deeply.” Some have even expressed that “Good people don’t get angry, or men do not cry.”
Some people hold the idea that showing emotions is seen as irrational behavior.
Some ancient Greek philosophers maintained the idea that the best people didn’t have feelings. They believe that strength is displayed by those who control their emotions.
Hence, we get the idea: strong men do not cry, or a crying man is a weak man.
The “rational” man is favored over one who is emotional because to move with emotion is deemed as “out of control.”
Thus, a person who is unaffected by passions or who rules over his emotions by way of being unemotional is viewed as strong.
Now, it’s true that strong emotions out of control are problematic.
Uncontrolled anger or jealousy can lead to pain and broken relationships.
But emotions themselves aren’t bad. God created us with the ability to feel, and God Himself is displayed throughout Scripture as showing profound emotions.
If God feels deeply, then are emotions inherently bad or irrational? For God is perfectly good and perfectly wise.
When we look at Scripture, we see God’s emotions in many ways.
He feels love so deeply that He compares Himself to a mother who never forgets her child.
He feels compassion for us when we struggle, just like a loving parent.
His emotions, however, are not like ours. They are never selfish or sinful. But they are perfect.
His emotions are by no means identical to the emotions we humans experience or sometimes display.
Notice what it says about His emotion of love in the book Sons and Daughters of God:
If this heaven-born love is an abiding principle in the heart, it will make itself known, not only to those we hold most dear in sacred relationship, but to all with whom we come in contact. It will lead us to bestow little acts of attention, to make concessions, to perform deeds of kindness, to speak tender, true, encouraging words. It will lead us to sympathize with those whose hearts hunger for sympathy.—Sons and Daughters of God, p. 101.
God’s love for us is emotional, but it is also beyond anything we can fully understand.
Human emotions tend to change or fade, but God’s love never does.
While our emotions can be selfish or flawed, God’s love is pure and steadfast.
He loves us deeply, not because of what we do, but because of who He is.
His love is infinite, and it goes beyond the tender pity a mother has for her wayward child.
“When we study the divine character in the light of the cross, we see mercy, tenderness, and forgiveness blended with equity and justice. —Reflecting Christ, p. 284.)
This truth about God’s emotions changes everything. It shows us that emotions are part of how we reflect God’s image.
They’re not something to fear but something to use in ways that honor Him.
Most importantly, it reminds us that we are never forgotten. Scripture confirms this.
Read Psalm 103:13, Isaiah 49:15, and Jeremiah 31:20 to learn more about the nature and depth of God’s love and compassion.
Then continue to Part 2: More Than a Mother’s Love
God’s Love and Justice
(Lesson 4)
God Is Passionate and Compassionate
Part 2: More Than A Mother’s Love
One of the strongest and most selfless kinds of love is shown in that of the love of a parent for their child.
But even this incredible love is only a glimpse of something far greater—God’s love for us.
The scriptures paint a picture of God’s compassion for us as a love so deep and perfect that it surpasses anything we’ve ever known.
The picture of God’s love is often painted as the love of a parent for their child. (Pausre)
For instance, Psalm 103:13 says: “As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him.” (Psalm 103:13)
This verse shows us that just as a good father has deep care and tenderness for his children, God’s love is full of compassion for us. His pity, or compassion, isn’t weak—it’s strong, intentional, and unwavering.
A nursing mother has a deep, almost instinctive connection to her baby. But even if she would forget, God says, “I will never forget you.”
His compassion is far greater than any human love, even the most tender love of a mother for her child.
God’s love is constant, reliable, and eternal. His compassion, according to Lamentations 3:22, never fails.
22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. (Lamentations 3:22)
The word used for compassion here comes from the Hebrew word for “womb.” This tells us something profound about God’s love—it’s like a mother’s love for her child, born from the deepest part of who she is.
But God’s compassion is not limited by human weakness. It is infinitely greater, reaching beyond our failures and imperfections.
In Jeremiah 31:20 , God describes His people as “My dear son” and “My pleasant child.”
Even though they rebelled against Him, God says, “My heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him.”
Here, the phrase “My heart yearns” literally means “My innards roar.”
This vivid language shows us that God’s love is not distant or indifferent. It is deeply emotional, passionate, and personal.
His mercy flows from a love that never gives up, even when we make mistakes.
But what about those who struggle with this imagery?
Some may find it hard to relate to God as a loving parent because of their own parents were not loving and affectionate.
To them, God reveals His compassion in other ways. He shows it through His creation, His Word, and His promises.
He also demonstrates it through the kindness and care of others around us. God’s love reaches everyone, no matter how painful their past experiences.
The love of a parent for their child is one of the strongest loves we know, yet God’s compassion far exceeds it.
His love is steady, enduring, and rooted in His very nature.
Whether you see God as a loving Father or need Him to reveal His compassion in a way you can understand, one thing is clear: God’s love for you never fails.
Trust in His compassion, let it comfort your heart, and share it with others who need to know this amazing truth about God.
We have looked at God’s love for us through Hosea’s eyes in our previous lesson.
Now, let’s take a deeper look at His compassion and love for us.
Read Hosea 11:1-9 to see how deeply God loves and cares for us.
Then, View the next segment of this video, Part 3: Gut-Wrenching Love
God’s Love and Justice
(Lesson 4)
God Is Passionate and Compassionate
Part 3: Gut-Wrenching Love
You may have once loved someone so strongly it hurt your heart.
Now, think of a love even deeper than that, a love that never fades, even when it’s rejected.
That’s the kind of love God has for us, and the story of Hosea brings this incredible love to life in a way that touches the soul.
In the book of Hosea, God uses the life of the prophet Hosea to teach us about His compassionate love for us humans.
God commands Hosea, “Go, take yourself a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry, for the land has committed great harlotry by departing from the Lord” (Hosea 1:2).
Can you imagine that? Being asked to love someone who doesn’t love you back? Yet this was Hosea’s calling—to provide a metaphor through his life to show how God loves His people, even when they are unfaithful.
Later, in Hosea 11, the relationship between God and his people is depicted as a metaphor for a loving father for his child.
In Hosea 11:1, He says,
“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son” (Hosea 11:1, NKJV).
Here, God reminds us of His tender care. Like a parent teaching a child to walk, God has guided His people with patience and love.
The imagery continues:
God carried His people, healed them, and fed them. He cared for them with the same tenderness described in Deuteronomy 1:31:
“You saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son.” (Deuteronomy 1:31)
And in Isaiah 63:9 (NASB), we are told:
“In His love and in His mercy He redeemed them, and He lifted them and carried them all the days of old.” (Isaiah 63:9, NASB)
These verses paint a picture of a God who doesn’t just love from a distance but actively carries, redeems and sustains His people.
But despite God’s unwavering love, His people repeatedly turned away from Him. (Pauser)
This broke God’s heart. Nevertheless, Although God is compassionate, his compassion never excludes justice.
Rebellion has consequences. As we continue in this series, we will learn later how love and justice go together.
Have you ever been so upset that you felt it in your stomach? That’s the depth of God’s emotions over His people.
In Hosea 11:8, God says, “My heart churns within Me; My sympathy is stirred.” (Hosea 11:8)
This is the language of deep, gut-wrenching love, a love that aches when it is rejected but refuses to give up.
The idea of a heart “turning over” and feelings being “kindled” is a way of showing deep emotions.
This type of language is used to describe strong feelings in both God and people.
We see this same kind of deep emotion in the story of King Solomon and the two women who claimed the same baby.
When Solomon ordered that the baby be divided, the real mother’s heart burned with compassion for her son (1 Kings 3:26).
This imagery describes the emotional reaction of the real mother.
This mother’s love mirrors God’s love for us—intense, protective, and selfless. (Pauser)
It’s the same kind of love described in Genesis 43:30, when Joseph’s compassion for his brothers overwhelmed him, and he had to leave the room to cry.
For those who are parents, you know that no earthly love compares to the love you feel for your child.
But even that kind of love is just a small reflection of God’s love for us.
His love isn’t based on how good we are or what we’ve done. It is constant, sacrificial, and deeply emotional.
It says in the Book Desire of Ages: It is Satan’s work to fill men’s hearts with doubt. He leads them to look upon God as a stern judge. He tempts them to sin, and then to regard themselves as too vile to approach their heavenly Father or to excite His pity. The Lord understands all this. Jesus assures His disciples of God’s sympathy for them in their needs and weaknesses. Not a sigh is breathed, not a pain felt, not a grief pierces the soul, but the throb vibrates to the Father’s heart. . . .
God is bending from His throne to hear the cry of the oppressed. To every sincere prayer He answers, “Here am I.” He uplifts the distressed and downtrodden. In all our afflictions He is afflicted. In every temptation and every trial the angel of His presence is near to deliver.—The Desire of Ages, p. 356.
So, what can we take away from this?
God loves us like a perfect parent loves their child, even when we stumble, even when we push Him away.
His heart aches for us, His arms are always open, and His love never ends.
This is especially important to us in moments when we feel unworthy or far from Him. (Pasuer)
God’s love for us is Gut-wrenching.
He loves with a love that carries us, redeems us, and never lets us go.
In the New Testament, Jesus uses terms that are gut-wrenching.
See if you can identify those gut-wrenching emotions in the following scriptures. How did Jesus respond?
Read: Matthews. 18:27, Luke 10:33, Luke 15:20 and Matthew 9:36, Matthew 14:14, Mark 1:41, Mark 6:34, and Luke 7:13. See also Matthew 23:37.
To help others, take time and share your thoughts in the comment section.
Then continue to the next segment of this video, Part 4: The Compassion of Jesus
God’s Love and Justice
(Lesson 4)
God Is Passionate and Compassionate
Part 4: The Compassion of Jesus
Compassion is more than simply sympathy. Compassion is a feeling of deep concern for someone’s pain or struggle that moves us to action.
It is like the time when you saw someone in pain and felt a tug deep in your heart; it’s that feeling so strong that it brought you to tears.
But Compassion doesn’t just feel. It moves you to act.
There is no greater example of this kind of compassion than God’s love for us, revealed perfectly in Jesus.
Jesus showed God’s heart through his life when He became a man and lived on this earth.
The New Testament uses the same kind of imagery as the Old Testament in potraying God’s love.
For instance, 2 Corinthians describes God as the “Father of mercies and God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3, NKJV).
His mercy does not consist of mere random acts of kindness; it’s described as rich, overflowing, and endless.
In Ephesians 2:4 (NKJV), Paul says God is “rich in mercy” and redeems us “because of His great love with which He loved us.”
In other words, God’s love is active. It reaches out to us in our brokenness and provides comfort and redemption.
Jesus, during His time on earth, embodied this love. He didn’t just preach about compassion; He lived it.
In His parables, Jesus often used vivid, emotional language to describe the Father’s compassion.
For example, in Matthew 18:27, the master in the parable of the unforgiving servant feels pity and forgives a massive debt.
In Luke 10:33, the Good Samaritan is moved with compassion for a stranger.
And in Luke 15:20, the father of the prodigal son sees his child returning home and is filled with compassion, running to embrace him.
But Jesus didn’t only use stories to illustrate compassion; He demonstrated it through His actions.
Over and over, the Gospels show us moments where the needs of others moved Jesus to act. Thus, the same language that depicts divine compassion in the Old Testament and New Testament is also used in the Gospels to depict Jesus’ compassionate responses to those in distress.
For example, Matthew 9:36 says:
36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. (Matthew 9:36)
Matthew 14:14 tell us:
14 And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. (Matthew 14:14)
His compassion wasn’t just a feeling or emotion; his feelings led to action.
Mark 1:41 (NKJV): When a leper begged Jesus for healing,
41 Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” (Mark 1:41)
Moreover, he didn’t just heal the man; He touched him, showing love to a person society rejected.
Mark 6:34 says:
34 And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things. (Mark 6:34)
Jesus compassion drove Him to teach, guide, and provide.
Luke 7:13 tells us that when Jesus saw the grieving widow,
“He had compassion on her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’” (Luke 7:13) He then brought her son back to life.
But Jesus’ compassion wasn’t just about addressing physical or emotional needs. He also cried over those who rejected Him, as seen in Matthew 23:37 when He cries out,
37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! (Matthew 23:37)
Can you see the tears in His eyes as He looked at the city that had rejected His love?
This imagery of a protective bird brings to mind Deuteronomy 32:11, where God is compared to an eagle hovering over and caring for its young.
This is divine love—tender, nurturing, and deeply personal love.
And yet, the greatest act of compassion and love was when Jesus gave Himself for us. His death on the cross is the ultimate demonstration of God’s love.
Jesus wasn’t just a great teacher or mighty healer; He was the perfect image of God and the perfect model of humanity.
He didn’t just tell us how to love; He showed us how to love in every moment of His life.
So, how can we follow His example?
Compassion isn’t just about feeling or emotions —it’s about doing.
Like Jesus, we’re called to meet the needs of those around us, whether it’s comforting the grieving, feeding the hungry, or simply showing kindness to someone who feels alone.
We’re not just here to preach about God’s love but to live it out in tangible, practical ways.
The compassion of Christ shows us the heart of God—a heart that aches for us, reaches out to us, and sacrifices for us.
May his actions inspire us to look at the people around us with eyes of compassion. Feel their pain, meet their needs, and let them see God’s love through your actions.
“The world is full of sickness, suffering, distress, and sin. It is full of those who need to be ministered unto—the weak, the helpless, the ignorant, the degraded”.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, p. 254.
We are called to be God’s hands and feet in a world that desperately needs His touch.
Will you go and show His compassion today?
Not only does God feel compassion and love, but He displays another emotion that some frown on. What emotion is that? How does He respond when we are unfaithful?
Read 1 Corinthians 13:4, 2 Corinthians 11:2 and Psalms 78:58.
Then, View the next segment of this video, Part 5: A Jealous God?
God’s Love and Justice
(Lesson 4)
God Is Passionate and Compassionate
Part 5: A Jealous God?
There may have been a time in your life when you loved someone so deeply that you wanted to protect your relationship with them at all costs.
It is a kind of love that is so deep, so passionate, that it doesn’t settle for anything less than full devotion.
The Bible calls this kind of love “jealousy,” but not the kind of jealousy we usually think of.
We now explore what it means when God says He is a “jealous God.”
The Bible helps us to see God as both a “compassionate God” (Deuteronomy 4:31) and yet, a “jealous God” (Deuteronomy 4:24).
The Hebrew name for God here is el raḥum, where raḥum comes from the root word for compassion.
God’s compassion is His tender care, His deep and constant love for His people.
But God is also called el qana’, the “jealous God.” As Deuteronomy 4:24 puts it,
“ ‘The Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God [el qana’].’ ”
As depicted in Deuteronomy 4:24
24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. (Deuteronomy 4:24)
Deuteronomy 6:15
15 (for the Lord your God is a jealous God among you), lest the anger of the Lord your God be aroused against you and destroy you from the face of the earth. (Deuteronomy 6:15)
Joshua 24:19
19 But Joshua said to the people, “You cannot serve the Lord, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. (Joshua 24:19)
Nahum 1:2
2 God is jealous, and the Lord avenges; The Lord avenges and is furious. The Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies; (Nahum 1:2)
This might seem confusing at first, especially considering the connotation of jealousy today.
How can a loving God also be jealous?
Jealousy is often thought of as a bad thing. When someone is described as a “jealous husband” or “jealous wife,” it usually means they are controlling, insecure, or distrustful.
But in the Bible, God’s jealousy is different. It’s not like human jealousy.
It’s not envious or malicious. Instead, it’s a righteous passion for an exclusive, loving relationship that God has with His people.
1 Corinthians 13:4 says, “Love is not jealous.” Does this mean God’s jealousy contradicts His love? Not at all.
2 Corinthians 11:2 helps us better understand this saying:
For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:2)
As Paul explains, this kind of jealousy is not selfish; it is about wanting what’s best for someone you love.
This love is protective and pure.
Throughout the Bible, God’s people are often compared to a bride, and God is the loving, faithful husband.
But His people have repeatedly been unfaithful to Him.
Psalm 78:58 (NKJV) says, “They provoked Him to anger with their high places and moved Him to jealousy with their carved images.” (Psalm 78:58)
God’s jealousy is a response to this betrayal. He isn’t jealous in the way humans are; His jealousy comes from His deep love and desire to see His people thrive in their relationship with Him.
Thus, in the Bible, divine jealousy has no negative connotations. It is portrayed as the righteous passion of a loving husband desiring to have an exclusive relationship with his wife.
Some jealousy, however, goes against love as contrasted in 1 Corinthians 13:4
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; (1 Cor. 13:4),
Paul speaks of a “godly jealousy” in 2 Corinthians 11:2
2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:2).
God’s jealousy is always good and just. It does no harm. It shows God’s deep, passionate love for us.
The stories in Hosea 1–3 and Jeremiah 2:2; 3:1–12 paint a vivid picture of God as a rejected lover who loves His people like that of a husband longing for his unfaithful wife to return to him. ((Pauoeewuw)
In regard to Marriage it says in the Book Testimonies for the Church, vol. 7
Marriage, a union for life, is a symbol of the union between Christ and His church. The spirit that Christ manifests toward the church is the spirit that husband and wife are to manifest toward each other.
Neither husband nor wife is to make a plea for rulership. The Lord has laid down the principle that is to guide in this matter. The husband is to cherish his wife as Christ cherishes the church. And the wife is to respect and love her husband. Both are to cultivate the spirit of kindness, being determined never to grieve or injure the other. . . .
Let not your married life be one of contention. If you do you will both be unhappy. Be kind in speech and gentle in action, giving up your own wishes. . . . Bring into your united life the fragrance of Christlikeness.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 7, pp. 46, 47.
Consequently, God’s jealousy is His passionate desire for us to be fully committed to Him, not because He needs us, but because He knows and desires what’s best for us.
God’s passion is always righteous. It’s not selfish or controlling. God’s “jealousy” or “passion” is never unprovoked but always responsive to infidelity and evil people.
God’s jealousy (or “passionate love”) has no negative connotations as in the case of human jealousy. It is never envious.
His jealousy is always the proper, righteous passion for His desire to have an exclusive relationship with His people and for their good.
His jealousy for us is about protecting us from harm. He knows that when we turn to idols or anything else that takes His place, it only leads to pain, suffering, and destruction.
His jealousy is about drawing us back to Him because He loves us and wants what is best for us.
This kind of divine jealousy challenges us to reflect God’s love in our marriages and our relationships with others.
How can we show this same kind of “good jealousy” toward others?
It means caring so deeply for others that we want the best for them, even when it does not benefit us.
It means protecting our relationships from anything that might harm them and it means being faithful and true to our commitments.
God’s jealousy isn’t about insecurity—it’s about love. It’s a passionate, protective love that never gives up on us, even when we turn away.
Let His love inspire you to build relationships not on selfishness but on a true and faithful love that focuses on the good of others.
How can we show God’s compassionate and unselfish love to others? Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.
Then, continue to the next segment of this video, Part 6: Compassion and Passionate.
God’s Love and Justice
(Lesson 4)
God Is Passionate and Compassionate
Part 6: Compassion and Passionate
The love God has for us is not only perfect but is also deeply emotional, passionate, and compassionate.
This love isn’t distant or theoretical—it’s real, practical, and transformative.
And through Jesus Christ, we see this love in its fullest manifestation.
Yes, the God of the Bible is compassionate and passionate.
God’s compassion is described in Isaiah 63:9, saying: 9 In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the Angel of His Presence saved them; In His love and in His pity He redeemed them; And He bore them and carried them All the days of old. (Isaiah 63:9)
Similarly, Hebrews 4:15, speaking of Jesus as our High Priest:
15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
Jesus understands our struggles because He lived them. He is, therefore, deeply affected by our sorrows.
As in Judges 10:16
16 So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord. And His soul could no longer endure the misery of Israel. (Judges 10:16)
In Luke 19:41, we see where Jesus wept over Jerusalem, heartbroken by their rejection of Him and the suffering they would face.
41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, (Luke 19:41)
These passages show us a God who is deeply moved by the difficulties of His children.
But God’s compassion isn’t just about feeling—it’s about action.
Isaiah 49:10, 15 (NKJV) assures us that God provides comfort and care, saying, in Isaiah 49:10
10 They shall neither hunger nor thirst, Neither heat nor sun shall strike them; For He who has mercy on them will lead them, Even by the springs of water He will guide them.
Isaiah 49:15 offers assurance, saying:
15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. (Isaiah 49:15)
In the Gospels, Jesus’ compassion is repeatedly highlighted, as in
Matthew 9:36
36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. (Matthew 9:36)
And Matthew 14:14:
14 And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. (Matthew 14:14)
His compassionate and passionate love is perfectly described in 1 Corinthians 13:4–8:
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. (I Corinthians 13:4-8)
Though we may want to be in relationships with people who show the kind of love found in 1 Corinthians 13:4–8, do we seek to become this kind of person with others?
These verses call for us to reflect God’s love in our relationships with others.
But let’s be honest—this kind of love is not something we can create in ourselves. Our natural hearts are selfish and bent toward evil.
Therefore, we cannot make ourselves long-suffering and kind; we cannot make ourselves not be envious, conceited, rude, or self-seeking.
We cannot create in ourselves a love that “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things,” and “never fails” (1 Cor. 13:7, 8, NKJV).
This can only be done through the power of the Holy Spirit working in us.
This kind of love can be seen in our lives only as fruit, the fruit produced when the Holy Spirit is allowed to work in us and through us.
Romans 5:5 tells us that
5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:5)
Unlike human love and emotions, God’s love is profoundly emotional but always perfectly righteous and rational.
So, by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, how can we respond to and reflect God’s love?
First, we worship. God’s love should lead us to praise Him with admiration and gratefulness.
Second, we act. We actively show compassionate love to others. God’s love isn’t just for us to receive and be comforted; it’s for us to share. We are called to show compassion, comfort others, and love selflessly.
Finally, we surrender all. We resolve that we cannot change our hearts on our own. Only God can give us a new heart, one that reflects His pure and perfect love.
Let this be your prayer, I Thessalonians 3:12-13:
12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you,
13 so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. (1 Thessalonians 3:12–13, NKJV).
To truly love like this, however, something has to change within us. We must die to self. We must die to the selfishness and corruption of our natural hearts.
This is the only way to reflect God’s love. The choices we make every day—to surrender our will, to put others first, to ask God to transform us—are the steps that lead to this death to self. (Papusr)
Yes, God is emotional! But God’s love is compassionate, passionate, and perfect. It transforms us and calls us to love others in the same way. But this love isn’t something we can achieve on our own. Ask him to transform your heart into one that is passionate and compassionate!
Surrender to Him, worship Him, and let the Holy Spirit work in your hearts.
Therefore, let us die to self and live in God’s love so that others may see His emotions in us.
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Hebron Seventh-day Adventist Church
7902 Wheatly Street
Houston, TX 77088
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