February is “love month”. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Many times, love is a misunderstood term.
Love is a word with layer upon layer of meaning within it. That’s why there are three different words used for “love” in the New Testament scripture: eros, philos, and agape. Love is too powerful a word to only have a single meaning. It would greatly benefit our faith to understand the different aspects of the word “love” and how they relate to our lives.
Valentine’s Day is a holiday when we celebrate romantic love. In the New Testament, romantic love is eros. It is a word that speaks of the passion and desire we feel towards those we fall in love with. This understanding of love is a beautiful thing to celebrate within the confines of a godly relationship.
But God wants us to understand so much more about love that we can also celebrate this season! Philos in the New Testament is a word signifying the love you feel for a close friend. Philos is the kind of love we should have for all of our brothers and sisters in Christ. God has blessed us richly with the gift of friendship, and we should always find opportunities to celebrate it.
The most powerful love of all is found in the word agape. This word represents the unconditional, eternal love that God has for all His children. Agape is the love that brings us to repentance and redemption. Agape shapes us and molds us, transforming us in every way through the power of God’s love. God desires for us to live in His love daily, experiencing all of the benefits that it brings.
Let this month of February and Valentine’s Day serve as a reminder of the depth of the word “love.” Reflect on the unconditional, life-changing love that God has for you, and consider how you may show that same love towards others. This Valentine’s Day season, remember Jesus’ powerful words: “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37) and “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39).
No matter who you encounter in life, always share the love of God with them as God has so graciously done to you.
You can write the Pastor at pastorbilly@findtruelife.com.