Love

Greetings,

We didn't get to meet around Valentine's Day, but I figured that we could reflect on the word "love", or in Hebrew, "khesed".   

We learn from movies that love is strange, and it can happen at any moment, or that you need to chase love down at the airport.

In A Knights Tale, Heath Ledger thinks that he needs to prove himself.  Both to become a knight and also to win the love of a lady.  Unfortunately, the lady requested that for her love, Heath should do anything for her.  Even lose at Jousting.

What is God's love? How do we love God?  Do we prove it by purposely losing a baseball game?   

God's love or "khesed" combines many ideas.  Like unconditional love, enduring love, and kindness toward others.

Check out this video about love/khesed:

1. The Hebrew word “khesed” combines the ideas of unconditional love, generosity, and enduring commitment. Read Psalm 136
   Psalms 136

   Loading...

   Keep Reading
    and notice that all of the ways God is described with the phrase, "His love endures forever" at the end of each line. 26 times actually.
2. Read Ruth 1:5-19
   Ruth 1:5-19

   5Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and the woman was bereft of her two children and her husband.

   6Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the land of Moab, for she had heard in the land of Moab that the Lord had visited His people in giving them food. 7So she departed from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. 8And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9May the Lord grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. 10And they said to her, “No, but we will surely return with you to your people.” 11But Naomi said, “Return, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? 12Return, my daughters! Go, for I am too old to have a husband. If I said I have hope, if I should even have a husband tonight and also bear sons, 13would you therefore wait until they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters; for it is harder for me than for you, for the hand of the Lord has gone forth against me.”

   Ruth’s Loyalty

   14And they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

   15Then she said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. 17Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the Lord do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me.” 18When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.

   19So they both went until they came to Bethlehem. And when they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was stirred because of them, and the women said, “Is this Naomi?” 

   Keep Reading
   . How does Ruth show khesed to her mother-in-law? How does this example support your understanding of what it means that God has khesed for us?
3. Titus 3:4-7
   Titus 3:4-7

   Loading...

   Keep Reading
    gives us a good picture of God's loyal love at work in our world. In this passage, what does it look like when God’s loving character appears?
4. God’s loyal love internally motivates Jesus’ followers to generously share what they’ve been given. What do you think it means for God’s love to be inside of a person (see 2 Corinthians 5:14
   2 Corinthians 5:14

   Loading...

   Keep Reading
   ; John 15:9-13
   John 15:9-13

   9Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. 10If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 11These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

   Disciples’ Relation to Each Other

   12“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

   Keep Reading
   ; 1 John 4:16
   1 John 4:16

   Loading...

   Keep Reading
   )? How does God’s love affect our actions toward those in need (e.g. 1 John 3:16-18
   1 John 3:16-18

   16We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. 

   Keep Reading
   )?