Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
1 Corinthians 13:4 NIV
Agape Love
Trafalgar travel website has a list of 11 things that Canadians love about our country. The list starts: “One reason Canadians love Canada is because of their spectacular backyard. Spanning more than half of the Northern Hemisphere, Canada is made up of thousands of lakes, 48 national parks, wide open plains, lush forests and impressive mountain ranges like the Rocky Mountains. Not only is the landscape varied but so is the wildlife. Native Canadian animals include polar bears, Canada lynxes, moose, wolverines, Beluga whales and beavers.”
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Have you ever had someone do something for you that you would never have expected? Maybe it was someone whose life you’ve touched in some way, and you didn’t even know you had, or someone you hardly know, but who felt led to bless you in some way. The gift came with no strings attached and nothing expected in return. That is the classic definition of agape love. Agape love involves faithfulness, commitment, and an act of the will. It is distinguished from the other types of love by its lofty moral nature and strong character. Agape love is beautifully described in 1 Corinthians 13:4: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” God has loved us with agape love through the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is so patient with us – we must frustrate Him so much by our willfulness, pride and sin and yet He loves us still. Jesus is so kind – even when we are not. Jesus is agape love – always faithful, totally committed to our redemption, even to the point of laying down his life on the Cross. That is agape love.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley