What Does the Bible Say about Love?
February 14 is celebrated as Valentine's Day around the world. It is said to have originated as a Christian feast day honoring a martyr named Valentine, but many folk traditions and ancient legends surround the story of how it came to be a holiday. It is often celebrated as a day of love between sweethearts, and different countries celebrate in various ways (including Japan, where the men take the day off work and women give chocolate gifts to them!)
​
And, although love between spouses and sweethearts is essential (so much so that I wrote an entire book on it! (See "Unlocking the Mystery of Marriage: Loving Your Spouse the Way Christ Loves the Church"), the most important love of all is the love we share with our Lord. The Bible tells us that God, Himself, is love and describes love as "patient, kind, hopeful, humble, trusting, protecting, respectful, forgiving, forbearing, and not self-seeking". (See 1 Corinthians 13 for reference.)
​
And, because love is such an important topic in the Bible and in our lives, I've compiled some important verses to share with you today.
​
Read below to see the verses and spend some time meditating on and praying to the One who loves us best! My hope is that it will help prepare your heart to celebrate true love and keep your focus on the One who IS LOVE, this day and always...
Bible Verses about God's Love
-
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).
-
“For God so loved the world, that he gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
-
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love (1 John 4:7-8).
-
Let all that you do be done in love (1 Corinthians 16:14).
-
We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).
-
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God (1 John 4:7).
-
But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness (Psalm 86:15).
-
God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
-
God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved (Ephesians 2:4-5).
-
This is how God showed His love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us (John 4:9-12).
​
This list is just a beginning to get you started! Take some time each day to meditate on one or more of these truths and turn your heart towards Jesus.