What is Love?

Ok - I admit it - I am a sappy romantic. I have sat here tonight and watched the last episode of the bachelor - rooting for my favorite Emily. Then I watch the after the final rose episode and I hear what troubles they have had this last month and it rings true. What is love? It is a word that is about as overused in our society as many swear words are.

God's word has some of the best words (of course) -

“Love is patient; love is kind
and envies no one.
Love is never boastful, nor conceited, nor rude;
never selfish, not quick to take offense.
There is nothing love cannot face;
there is no limit to its faith,
its hope, and endurance.
In a word, there are three things
that last forever: faith, hope, and love;
but the greatest of them all is love.”

I am very very lucky to be married to my best friend. we fight, we argue - sometimes we just sit and say nothing. It is not always ooey gooey feelings...but I know in my heart of hearts, I can not imagine my life without him. We have gone through some devastating things...but in the end it was our commitment to each other and our love for each other and our love for God that won. Love is more than a flippant phrase to tell someone - it is a journey. It has its struggles - it has its highs, its lows. One of my favorite author describes it in words much better than I -

"Love is more than three words mumbled before bedtime. Love is sustained by action, a pattern of devotion in the things we do for each other every day." - Nicholas Sparks

So remember when you tell someone you love them - it is a commitment - make it mean something - because it does. The greatest Love in the world isthe Love our Heavenly Father has for us - so much so that He gave His one and only Son - John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." What bigger commitment is there to pattern our love after than the one God gave us??