MANIPULATION VS. LOVE
What’s blood got to do with love? I have a personal cancer experience regarding blood and love. However, there’s a more significant blood love connection. Has anyone ever made you feel that you had to do something to prove your love to them? That isn’t an act of love, its manipulation. Like with humor, a grain of truth is present in any effective deception. Throughout scripture, God makes it clear that love is only made complete through a corresponding, selfless action. However, there’s a difference by doing works to prove your love and being drawn by love to act sacrificially. On Lisa Harper’s first podcast, Christine Caine said, she is sustained by being “drawn” not “driven.” I’d prefer my interactions with people to emerge from them being drawn rather than driven by obligation or to do, be, or get something for themselves. I’m sure God feels the same. He loves us so much, but what does blood have to do with love?
LOVE DEFINED
We can’t receive or give real love if we don’t know what it is. Let’s define it. It’s so helpful to have a thorough definition like in 1 Corinthians 13. It explains what love is, what it isn’t, what it does, and what it doesn’t do. The more we read the Bible, the clearer we see God’s character and heart towards us, as expressed in this passage. Love denotes action, you could say that love is a verb. I wrote a poem by that title in 2013, it’s available on my newsletter.
1 John 4:7-21 gives a mini dissertation on God and love. It’s a yummy passage to chew on, to get the full essence of love, but the short answer is simple. God is love.
GOD’S DEMONSTRATIONS
Look at the scripture and note the word “Demonstrates” a sacrificial action, not only words. Jesus laid down a full, powerful, and complete life at its very peak when he had every other choice. He demonstrated His love for us by laying down his life as a bridge for us to get to God. We gained everything through this sacrifice when we had nothing to give in return.
WHY? WHAT?
What does blood have to do with this anyhow? Why would God bother with a fallen, damaged, humanity? I ask myself this, quite often, although I know the answer. What did he do to prove his love? He shed his blood for us so we don’t have to die, but we can have eternal life. Because of his blood, we can get to know a mighty, funny, and holy God while we are here on earth. It afforded a relationship between God and His beloved creation.
“For God so loved the world, THAT HE GAVE his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16
MY LOVE’S DEMONSTRATION
My husband demonstrated his love in many ways during my chemo, but this one inspired this blog. I’ve always been cautious (Okay, borderline paranoid) about blood transfusions. When chemo decimated my blood and body; I needed blood transfusions. My hubby Chris took time off of work, braved L.A. traffic, and donated his blood for me. With some of his limitations, it made it a much bigger sacrifice than that of the average bear. He gave his blood for me four times in all. Would you call that love? Of course, because he backed up his words with his corresponding actions. Each time I got the life-giving transfusion, I called it “Love Blood.” What’s blood got to do with it? Through his blood, I received much more than strength in my body; I received his love.
LOVE BLOOD
God’s purpose for writing the New and Old Testaments is to complete the message of His love for us. Its purpose is to heal and restore the broken relationship between God and humanity. He paved this path of our restoration with the blood of His very own Son. What does his blood have to do with it? His blood covers our sins, making a way for imperfect humans can become friends with a perfect God. When we read the Bible and see these actions of love, we get much more than a mental exercise. We receive forgiveness, and we know he loves us through the action of suffering and dying for our sins.
OUR VALENTINE
Two thousand years ago, He signed a perfect Valentine with his very own blood, what won’t he do to bring us to him? If you haven’t experienced God’s love this way, all you have to do is ask Him. He’s real, and he will answer you. May your day include a dose of perfect love written for you and signed in the precious blood of God. Be still, read the book of John; he will reveal his love to you.
You are loved and valued by God.
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I wrote a poem called, “Love Is A Verb” in 2003. Click HERE to see it on my new poetry page.
