Woman to Woman: Savoring God's Love

Pondering the theme of Love throughout the month of February drew me into creating more intention both in loving God and loving others well. Jesus summed this up as the first and second great commandments in Matthew 22:37-40.

This week taught me the impact of savoring the unchanging intentional love of God on both loving God and loving others.

The intentional nature of God’s love emphasizes the magnificence of his free choice in loving his people without condition.

Embracing God’s intentional love for me captivates my heart, while at the same time the pang of insecure fears grimaces my hope. God’s willful choice of bestowing his love upon me invites me to be fully known.

Matching my own desire to be fully known and subsequently still fully loved, God fills scripture with the treasures of his love. In revealing his multi-faceted love, he invites you into the deeper intimacy of knowing him.

Intentional Love and Mercy

Moved by your dreadful entanglement in sin, God intentionally lavishes love upon you through his mercy and compassion. Deeply affected by your trials, oppression and temptations, his faithful love knows no bounds.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in him.

Lamentations 3:22-24

Perfect Love

Known by many as the “Love Chapter”, 1 Corinthians 13 often surfaces at weddings as the gold standard for love’s behavior towards others. Perhaps you heard the admonition for placing your name in place of the word “love” in verses four through seven.

But, instead, have you considered placing Jesus’ name there?

Jesus is patient and kind; Jesus does not envy or boast; Jesus is not arrogant or rude. Jesus does not insist on his own way; Jesus is not irritable or resentful; Jesus does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Jesus bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

A Father’s Love

The character of God’s unchanging love washes over you in compassion, mercy, relational patience, and endurance. Yet God delights in also showing you his love as your gracious Heavenly Father by reminding you of your position as his beloved child!

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!

1 John 3:1

Sacrificial Love

No journey into savoring the unchanging, intentional love of God is complete without considering the sacrificial nature of his love. Testifying of his steadfast, unchanging love, the scriptures also portray God’s demonstration of a compassionate love knowing no limits.

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.

John 3:16

Experiencing God’s intentional love for you, impacts your intentional love for him by transforming your perspective on God’s love. Time spent savoring the depth of God’s steadfast, enduring, perfect, sacrificial love lavished upon you in the intimacy of relationship, creates vulnerability.

From a place of vulnerability, the embrace of God’s unchanging love penetrates fear and uncertainty with joy and acceptance.

Held in a place of joy and complete acceptance; fully known and fully loved, God’s love fills every space of your heart flowing back to him in an intentional sacrifice of praise and worship.

Flowing from this exchange of holy love, comes an exuberant love capable of loving others. A love transformed by the unchanging, intentional love of God, offering the same healing, grace, mercy, and acceptance, given you.

Make it Practical:

Which aspect of God’s love do you need most today?

Take a few moments and write a short prayer expressing your need to Him today.