Perfect Love

Today is Valentine's Day, so who can not reflect on the word “Love” today? This word is being seen everywhere right now and I wonder how many times it will also show up in newsfeeds, tweets, pins, etc. just today alone? I dare you to try and take a guess! Not sure if we could find out by the end of the day, but I am sure the number will be incredibly high!

For some reason though, I can't get this out of my head....”Perfect Love”. The Bible verse keeps coming to mind from 1 John 4:18 (KJV), “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear”. I feel as though the Holy Spirit is tugging at my heart, bringing this to memory for a reason, so here I write. And before I sat to write, God had already worked and prepared me in helping with this post, which you will see. There is a surprise and a gift at the end!



Searching in the 1828 Noah Webster Dictionary, the word “Love” is defined as:

 

LOVE, n.

1. An affection of the mind excited by beauty and worth of any kind, or by the qualities of an object which communicate pleasure, sensual or intellectual. It is opposed to hatred. Love between the sexes, is a compound affection, consisting of esteem, benevolence, and animal desire. Love is excited by pleasing qualities of any kind, as by kindness, benevolence, charity, and by the qualities which render social intercourse agreeable. In the latter case, love is ardent friendship, or a strong attachment springing from good will and esteem, and the pleasure derived from the company, civilities and kindness of others.

Between certain natural relatives, love seems to be in some cases instinctive. Such is the love of a mother for her child, which manifests itself toward an infant, before any particular qualities in the child are unfolded. This affection is apparently as strong in irrational animals as in human beings.

We speak of the love of amusements, the love of books, the love of money, and the love of whatever contributes to our pleasure or supposed profit.

The love of God is the first duty of man, and this springs from just views of his attributes or excellencies of character, which afford the highest delight to the sanctified heart. Esteem and reverence constitute ingredients in this affection, and a fear of offending him is its inseparable effect.

From that verse, the word love comes from the Greek word, agapē; which basically means affection, good will, love, benevolence, brotherly love.

Now to go beyond that, searching in the 1828 Noah Webster Dictionary, the word “Perfect” is defined as:

PER'FECT, a. [L. perfectus, perficio, to complete; per and facio, to do or make through, to carry to the end.]

1. Finished; complete; consummate; not defective; having all that is requisite to its nature and kind; as a perfect statue; a perfect likeness; a perfect work; a perfect system.

As full, as perfect in a hair as heart.

2. Fully informed; completely skilled; as men perfect in the use of arms; perfect in discipline.

3. Complete in moral excellencies.

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect. Matt.5.

4. Manifesting perfection.

My strength is made perfect in weakness. 2 Cor.12.

Perfect in that verse comes from the Greek word, teleios, which basically means brought to its end, finished, wanting nothing necessary to completeness, that which is perfect.

I do recognize in verse 1 John 4:18 (KJV), “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear”, that fear is mentioned twice. I could keep going further and define fear as well but I think we all understand what fear is and how it can consume us. We can be assured that God tells us, “do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God” (Isaiah 41:10). Even when we are struggling and feel otherwise; this is a command and a promise from God to you and me.

Reasoning through all of this, I believe the Lord is sharing with me that we are meant to have a complete affection and highest delight to the sanctified heart with God who loves us unconditionally, without fail. When we are abiding with God in this Perfect Love, then it should manifest in others too as we trust Him in all things. Why do I believe this? Because He says so in the verses prior to 1 John 4:18:

 

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us.

God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:7-17)

Prior to writing this, God revealed His Providence and care for me. I want to share something neat so that you can see how He shares His Sovereignty and Perfect Love in the simplest and most meaningful ways, that only He can orchestrate. Sometimes it's just the little things like this He does that puts a smile on my face!

My Dad writes a column every few months in our Church's newspaper that gets mailed to others all over the US on a weekly basis. It came in the mail yesterday (2/13/14) and I saw that one he had written was printed in there. It's called, “A Transcending Peace”...if you want to go read it later, please do! So, I was in the mood to read and just felt like reading some of his past articles as well. I did a web search and opened an older article he had written called, “Searching for Perfection”. Keep in mind, this is when I was already having the words “Perfect Love” in my mind and was considering on writing something about it for today. As I was reading through it, the words that had already been in my heart, my Dad had written those exact words in this article. They popped out of the screen at me, just about! To top it off, it was dated one year ago exactly (2/13/13)! I don't know if it doesn't take much to amuse me, but I just think that is the neatest thing and I couldn't help but go and write this post...even if it was late at night going into wee hours of the morning!

God continues to keep me in awe of His Providence and Perfect Love for me. I am far from perfect here on earth but to know that He see's me as perfect and continues to want to reveal Himself to me in so many ways, big and small, I can't help but be in love. He see's you as perfect too. He created you. He loves you for who you are; with a Perfect Love that really no one else can give as He can. He gave us the best gift we could ever have that shows His absolute Perfect Love for us and that is Jesus Christ. One who gives us Salvation and Eternal Life just by believing in Him. There is nothing we have to do but just trust and believe, it's a free gift. Perfect Love...the best gift for all Eternity that we all must share!

 

"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more..."

Philippians 1:9

 

 

Enjoy this song...