The Greatest of These is Love

We love him, because he first loved us.

1 John 5:13

Love! It is the most basic building block of Christian discipleship. It is both the simplest concept and the most difficult to actually practice, in its truest form. The Bible itself is based upon love as being the root of its message. At the very center of love is God himself (1 John 4:8). It is his essence. The embodiment of God’s love is in the form of his son, Jesus Christ. Jesus freely “gave” of himself that we might have life. His sacrifice was only surpassed by his love for us. Isn’t that the simplest of messages to understand?

However, the complexity comes through not accepting this very simple truth on the individual level. The devil, himself, has had a lot to do with “clouding” this simple truth and making it much more difficult for the individual person to accept into his or her life. He (the devil) has provided many “distractions” in the world to keep most people in an unbelieving state. The scriptures categorize these distractions into three camps: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. These three distractions can sum up where the world is today in their thoughts.

Sadly, many that profess Christianity, do not truly know the love of God on an individual basis. Many times those individuals are also caught up in the world’s distractions. However, when you layer religion on top, the enemy is done such a deceptive work. In other words, many come and go to church and participate in “religious service.” However, they remained bound in the habits and cares of life without knowing God’s true love on an individual basis. The deception is magnified when groups meet together in the same condition. Deliverance and newness of Life should be the message. Peace should be what we strive for in our individual lives. However, even in our religious services, there is the potential for distractions to take the place of true worship.

Here are some statistics to help understand that there is a lack of understanding and acceptance of God’s love both in and outside of the church. From the website crossrivertherapy.com,

• 52% of Americans report feeling lonely
• 47% report their relationships with others aren’t meaningful
• More than 80% of young people under the age of 18 report feeling lonely
• 73% percent of Millennials say that they are lonely

A recent Gallup survey on depression in America noted the following concerning lifetime and current depression rates:

• Depression rose in ALL subgroup categories by percentage from 2017 to 2023
• Of note, between the ages of 18 to 29, depression diagnosis rose 13.9%
• Between the ages of 30 to 44, depression diagnosis rose 12.6%
• Both age groups saw over a third of their respective populations with a depression diagnosis.

On the religious front, a Gitnux MarketData Report reveals:

• 15.6% of strongly religious people have been diagnosed with depression, which is 24% and 17% lower than moderately and nonreligious people.
• 15% of all adults will go through depression at some point in their lives.
• In 59% of trials, religious conflict was associated with higher depression.
• Depression affects one in seven 10- to 19-year-olds, accounting for 13% of the disease burden in the age range globally, with suicide being the fourth most common cause of death.

Loneliness and Depression are not the same thing. From a clinical standpoint, depression is a multi-faceted mental health condition, while loneliness is a transient emotional state. However, prolonged loneliness can affect mental health. It can factor into the development of serious mental health conditions, including depression. At the root of loneliness is a void in a person’s life that needs to be filled. The statistics above help to frame the picture that many people suffer from having a void in their lives (and these are only those who reported). It also shows that that void starts at a very young age. When left unchecked, it can grow into serious mental, and I submit, spiritual health issues. As people grow older, they find ways to fill voids with worldly pursuits. Whether it be wealth, fame, or power, many people will immerse themselves in these pursuits to fill the void that they have within. Some even look to other illicit pursuits, like drinking, drugs, and/or sex to fill the void. However, none of those can ultimately do the job!

Religion is another way that voids are filled. Being part of a group of like-minded people who speak the same thing and can be very encouraging, can give one a sense of belonging. The lonely feeling can be somewhat satisfied, especially when services are held on multiple days and times within the week. It is good to “assemble ourselves together” as the scriptures say. However, what happens when there is division and that sense of belonging is challenged? What happens when those same like-minded people begin to speak different things? If there is nothing to really base our gathering on other than being likeminded then the statistics show that the void is exposed which may lead to other more serious mental and spiritual issues.

The void that one feels, whether in the church or not, is not by happenstance. God allows the void in order for it to be filled appropriately. He does not want it to be filled with worldly pursuits or even religion. He wants the void to be filled with Him. He wants the void to be filled with love. If you ask those that suffer loneliness what they are seeking, they may not be able to articulate it. Some may say that they are seeking the attention of a member of the opposite sex. Some may say that if they just had their parents attention or even their spouses attention that that would suffice. However, if you would dig a little deeper, you would find that they recognize a yearning that actually goes much deeper than even natural love, benevolence or attention.

The word love in our text comes from the Greek word, Agapao. This is a love that goes deeper than mere benevolence (Agape). This is a love that reaches deep into the human soul from a moral and social sense. It is the deepest form of love that cannot be realized by mere human response or action. This love goes to the root of what we all yearn for and need in our lives. However, do we seek it in our alone time or do we allow the distractions that the enemy throws our way to keep us from this type of love. The Apostle Paul said it best:

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8: 38-39

The question that remains … Do you know God’s love? Not religion, not standards, not doctrine, not other’s expectations of us, not our own expectations of ourselves; not our creed … But ask yourselves in your quiet time, when nobody else is around and there are no other distractions, Do you know God’s love?

The answer to that question may set you on a whole new journey!