What Is Love?

     Good question. We know that love is different things to different people, both in its nature and practice. 

     The apostle Paul told Corinthians the essence of their new life is "faith, hope and love...but the greatest of these is love." 1 Cor. 13:13. 

     Mrs. Donut, long before she became my Mrs., was a struggling divorcee near Buffalo, NY. Marge refused to date, and made several great friends...all of them married. One of them, June, became her faithful, 100 percent lifetime friend. Just one example:

     Years later when Marge was recovering from an operation in Oklahoma, June left her husband and drove to Cleveland, where she had to seek help herself, at a hospital. Then she resumed her drive to Tulsa. That's love. 

     Years later still, Mrs. Donut and I retired in Florida. June and her husband were spending winters here, about two hours from us. That's when I began to know June. After her husband died, she continued spending winters in Florida and would visit with us for a week or two before returning to Buffalo. 

All that to say... 

     One day, no longer able to travel, June experienced heaven. Later, when they were on the phone, she told Marge she "had never felt such love." 

     Paul, former persecutor, told Corinthians to "do everything in love." Also in chapter 16, "If anyone does not love the Lord - a curse be on him." Why such harsh language? We'll skip our commentary. But...

     Do we think of God as being remote, or do we know him by the love his Spirit desires to give us? Paul to his readers: "My love to all of you in Christ Jesus, Amen."