When the New Testament was being written, there were four primary Greek words to describe the concept of "love": 1) eros, 2) stergo, 3) phileo, and 4) agape. I am most interested in the agape love of God. This is what I call high-level love, for there is no higher, finer, or more excellent love. There is no other love like the agape love of God our Father and the Son.
Agape occurs when an individual sees, recognizes, understands, or appreciates the value of an object or a person, causing the viewer to behold this object or person in great esteem, awe, admiration, wonder, and sincere appreciation. Such great respect is awakened in the heart of the observer for the object or person he is beholding that he is compelled to love it. In fact, his love for that person or object is so strong it is irresistible. The scriptures say that love covers all. This means that this type of love knows of one's sin, but sees beyond it –matter of fact treats it treats that loved one as if he/she has no sin at all.
The best example of agape is found in John 3:16. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Now that is agape love.
Our Father God looks upon the human race, in awe of mankind, even though man was lost in sin. God admired man. He wondered at man. He held mankind in the highest appreciation. In other words, He loved us! Even though mankind was held captive by Satan at that moment, God looked upon the world and saw His own image in man. The human race was so precious to God and He loved man so deeply that His heart was stirred to reach out and do something to save him. In other words, God's love drove Him to action.
You see, agape is a love that knows no limits or boundaries. There is no limit to how far, wide, high, or deep it will go to show that love to the recipient. If necessary, agape love will even sacrifice itself for the sake of that object or person it so deeply cherishes. Agape is the highest form of love — a self-sacrificial type of love that moves the lover to action.
Agape is a love that has no strings attached. It is not looking for what it can get, but for what it can give. To me it is like the love and adoration we get from our dog, Tuffy. No matter what, she loves us. No matter if we forget to feed her, leave her alone too long, trip over her, step on her—she love us. This agape love is so deep that it is compelled to shower love upon that object or person regardless of the response. That is our Tuffy. This is the profound love God has for the human race, for He loved man when he was still lost in sin with no ability to love Him back. God simply loved mankind without any thought or expectation of receiving love in return.
When you love with such a pure love that you expect nothing back in return, it is impossible for you to feel hurt or let down by the response of the recipients of your love. You don't love them for the purpose of getting something in return. You shower them with love simply because you love them. It is a love that has no strings attached, a love that loves simply and purely — the God-kind of love.
First John 3:16 plainly says that we are to love and appreciate each other just as fully and freely as God loves us.
The Father loved us to the point of self-sacrifice. Jesus' agape drove Him to lay down His life for us. In the same way, we are to agape our brothers and sisters to such a high extent that we would be willing to lay down our lives for them. If we are truly operating in agape and they don't respond in like fashion, it won't offend or hurt us. We are not looking for what others can do for us; we are simply focused on how to love others with no strings attached.. Therefore, the way other people respond to us has no effect on our desire to shower them with agape love.
Now you might be thinking "How in the world can I do that?" I have been so hurt, so wounded by man, I don't think I could ever… Right now if that is you, ask the Father to expose His love for you and to you. Receive completely His love, appreciation, and adoration for you just the way you are. The more you receive the more you will be able to give.
John said in verse 18 not only do we love in word, but in our talk in and about one another. This love is a force so strong that it demonstrates itself with deeds and actions. This is not an empty love that talks but does nothing. It is a love that does something, just as God loved us and then did something to save us from our lost and sinful condition.
This love is also is also expressed in First Corinthians 14:1, which tells us to follow after love. Like a hunter would pursue his game following the tracks we are to follow His Love. Love of this nature doesn't come easy. If we want to attain agape love and regularly walk in it, we must hotly pursue it! It must be the focus and the aim of our lives. Love and be loved, that is what I am looking for.
You may ask, "But how can I possess such love? Is it really possible for me to regularly exhibit such love in my life for other people?"
If you were seeking to walk in the kind of love that originates in the power of your flesh, it would be impossible, for flesh is selfish and self-focused and therefore cannot love that highly. But because the seed of God's Word has been sown into your own human spirit, the potential for this divine love is within you all the time. Now it is up to you to shove the flesh aside and release the love of God from down deep inside.
If you will let the Spirit of God release it from your heart, you will discover and enjoy the fruit of the Spirit called "love." This high-level love is already inside you!
The question is this. What is driving you?
Is it the Love of the Father or ????
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