Real Love

The word “love” often seems to have lost it’s true meaning in society. Just look at all the “love” songs that are playing on the radio nowadays or the most popular romance movies. If you listen to the music’s lyrics or look for the message that the movies convey, you will often find it is quite depressing. Many of them speak of relationships that left them broken and empty. They tell us that love is not real or that it doesn’t last. Why? Because we live in a broken world full of broken people. Satan, combined with our sin nature and the broken world we live in, tells us we need to earn love through achievements, beauty, money, and other things of this world. When we listen to this lie, we become desperate and selfish; willing to take others down to elevate ourselves. You’ve probably heard the saying “hurt people hurt people.” This is because hurt people have been told by Satan (and perhaps by others) that they don’t deserve love and so they do whatever it takes to “earn” it even if that means hurting others. But that is not love. Love is not a feeling and it’s not something that you can earn. It’s a gift. The most precious gift there is; one that this world does not know or provide. So where can we find it? We must look to the heavens. God is the only one who can give us this real love. He gave up everything for us. Because we are sinners, we fell short of the standards for entering heaven and so, because we could not come to him, he came to us. He is the most high king; perfect in all his ways, but he chose to become human and die to save us from our sin. That is love. The Apostle John wrote “God is love…” ( 1 John 4:16). Not only does God love but he, himself, is love. All love comes from him.

When Jesus came down from his throne in heaven to walk among us and die for us, he humbled himself to our level because we weren’t about to bring ourselves to his level. At the passover meal, the same night that Judas, one of Jesus’ disciples, would betray him, Jesus ate with his twelve disciples. In the book of John, it says, “(Jesus) got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

“When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’

“Jesus replied, ‘You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.’

“‘No!’ Peter protested, ‘you will never ever wash my feet!’

“Jesus replied, ‘Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me,’....After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, ‘Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you,” (John 13: 4 - 8 & 12 - 15). Jesus is God and creator of the whole world. He is all powerful and completely perfect. He is the only perfect being. When the first humans, Adam and Eve, sinned, sin and death entered the world and separated all of humanity from God and we have been sinning ever since. However, instead of turning his back on us and letting us suffer the consequences of our own sin, he ran to us with open arms and laid his own life down to pay the price for our sin. He washes us clean. You can probably imagine why Peter didn’t like the idea of Jesus washing his feet. In Ancient Israel, it was common courtesy for a hoste to wash their guests' feet. It was a sign of humility and respect. Because of our sin nature, we are not even worthy enough to wash Jesus’ feet, but he completely turned the tables and chose to wash his disciples' feet. He even washed Judas' feet knowing that he would betray him.

A few nights ago when I was worshiping God in my room, he gave me a vision of him washing my feet. At first this vision made me very uncomfortable because I knew that I was unworthy of this type of affection. I knew I was the one who should have been washing his feet. I tried to turn away, but he looked me in the eyes and said, “This is love.” Love is serving and caring for people even when they don’t deserve it. Jesus told Peter, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me,” (John 13: 8). When we let go of our shame and let Jesus love and accept us even though we know we don’t deserve it, he washes us clean from our sin and shame and we are reborn as a new creation. We become children of God. He didn’t die for us because we did anything to deserve it. We are completely unworthy. He did it because he loves us. King David put it this way, “He rescued me because he delighted in me,” (2 Samuel 22: 20).

Love is selfless. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record or being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance,” (1 Corinthians 13: 4 - 7). Only God can offer us this kind of love. We have to stop trying to find love and self-worth in things of this world and turn to God. Only then will we too, with Christ’s help, be able to love others with this real love. The Apostle John said, “we love each other because he loved us first,” (1 John 4: 19). When we receive love from our Heavenly Father, we are finally able to truly love others.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about The C.A.N Sisters’ Ministry, leave a comment below, check out our website, or email us at cansistersministry@gamil.com.