LOVE

Love for God

(lesson 3 of 3 week 2)

“Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:4).  “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18).

Because we are His people, we are also His friends, as were Moses  and Abraham; “friend” translated as “my loved one”.

Here are some distinctive elements of love for God from :

·         Genesis 3:1-7

·         Deuteronomy 6:1-3

·         Jeremiah 2:2

·         Genesis 22:1-12

It is, to put it bluntly, impossible to live up to this standard of love. We cannot do it. Human love looks and behaves mush more like the dysfunctional family of Isaac than the ideal love God demands in the Law.

·         In Galatians 5:22, Paul put love first in his listing of “the fruit of the Spirit.” What might we conclude from its place in the list?  Read Galatians 5:6b, 14.

·         Read Deuteronomy 7:7-9. This abiding, redeeming love of God for Israel pointed forward to the new covenant that He would provide through the perfect life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

·         How have the examples and teachings of Scripture helped you grow in your understanding of love?