15 Feb When God Says, “I Love You”

Are you a “Love ya” person, or an “I love you” person?

I had friend who used to say, “Love ya! Mean it!” every time she said goodbye in person or on the phone. It was funny. It was cute. And everybody knew that she loved them when she said it. It’s just that the “I” was never there.

Somewhere along the line we stopped saying “I love you” and shortened it to love you, love yooouuuuuu, love ya, love y’all, love ya mean it, or as one friend always says, “love ya, see ya.” Whatever.

Seems to me people have an aversion to saying I love you. I wonder why? Why is it hard to say, I love you? Some of the problem may be that in our weak and limited English language we only have one word, love, to describe different kings of love, where the ancient Greek language (the language of the New Testament) has several— the main expressions being: familial or affectionate love (storge); friendship (philia); romantic love (eros); and spiritual love (agape).

C. S. Lewis refers to the fourth love, agape, as perhaps the most radical kind of love. Agape is selfless love— the unconditional love expressed over and over again in Scriptures, as demonstrated by God to all people; and commanded as the way God’s children (believers) are to love one another. Lewis referred to it as “gift love,” the highest form of Christian Love (in his book, The Four Loves). This is a love that is extended to all people, whether family members or distant strangers.

Most of the time we are saying, “love ya” we are using it in the expression of philia, brotherly love (think— Philadelphia— the city of brotherly love). But considering our call and command to love God and love others as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:38-39), it is agape… this “gift love”—the highest form of love that we are commanded to show, to give, and to speak.

Love ya…love ya, what?

Is it uncomfortable for you to say, I love you? If we think of agape love as a gift we give someone, we ought to want them to know that the gift is from us.

I’m glad that God does not casually toss me a “love ya” now and then. He is fully and intentionally an I LOVE YOU God. Love—agape love—is not just what God does or what God says—it’s who God is. And created in God’s image (Genesis 1), we are created to reflect His character, His attributes—among which agape is the highest.

One of my favorite verses, “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself” (Jeremiah 31:3). Though this is written to Israel, it is nevertheless spoken by God to us—those He has wooed to Himself. Look at how personal God is; He has specifically told us that He loves us…He has drawn us to Himself.” The I is there, letting us know that He loves us personally, individually…and unconditionally.

🩷 The next time you finish reading the Scripture— listening to God’s Word, His voice, telling you Who He is, and thinking about how much He loves you, close your prayers with this: I love you, too, Lord.

Something to Think About

Who can you give the gift of “I love you” to today?

We are far too comfortable in doing and showing love, and never getting around to the saying anything. I 100% agree that our words have to be backed up with action. But we’ve also been given a mouth and a voice to speak— and speak we must. Speak the truth, speak hope, and speak L O V E.

Think about people in your life who never hear anyone say, “I love you.” Not just your close friends and family, but even casual acquaintances, who need to hear “I love (agape) you.” Perhaps it will stir up a question from them that leads you to share the unconditional agape love of God with them in Christ Jesus. After all, “God so loved the whole world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him would never perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Loving gestures should be backed up with loving words—and the Bible is filled with God’s loving Words, from the very beginning God starts with I love you— not just showing it, but saying it. And we should, too.

One More Thing

So, let’s try this: Pick the I back up and start saying I love you. Look people in the eye— your friends, your coworkers, your parents, your spouse, your kids… and tell them, be intentional and say to them, I love you. It will change them. It will change you. And you will become more and more the image and expressions of God’s nature to the unloved and love-ya’d world around you. This is a love that is extended to all people, whether family members or distant strangers.

Until next week— don’t forget that you are greatly and dearly loved by The King! And let’s live our beautiful, ordinary lives like women who believe it!

I love you,
xo – P♥️