Love and Variety

We worship God not so much for the gifts we receive, but for who He is. If your worship is based only on the good you receive from Him, you may find it difficult to remain joyful in His presence. Sometimes, even when we feel we deserve a gift, there may be delays or obstacles. It may seem as though God is not responding or hearing our prayers.

If your mood in God’s presence is tied to material things—what we often call “bread and butter”—then your worship will not be stable. You won’t be consistent in your devotion to God.

The topic we are considering today is Love and Variety.

John 3:16 (NIV) says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Love compels God to give. Love is always giving. There can never be love without giving. Love must always seek to give.

When God loved the world—even when the devil had taken control—He gave His only Son for our redemption and salvation.

If we worship God only when it’s convenient, or only when we feel strong and healthy, our relationship with Him will be inconsistent. Circumstances and situations around us will constantly try to distract us. You’ll hear voices saying, “This problem is still here,” or “You haven’t solved that yet.”

I was once asked how to reconcile the love of God with all the pain and suffering in the world. As a child of the Most High God, we must understand that, in the realm of the Spirit, these afflictions do not define our reality. Scripture says, “No one living in Zion will say, ‘I am ill’; and the sins of those who dwell there will be forgiven” (Isaiah 33:24, NIV).

Does that mean there were no sick people in Israel? Of course not. But in God’s purpose, in His divine agenda, there is no sickness. These are temporary symptoms we pass through. Understanding this is part of embracing the love of God as He sees it, not just as we feel it.

Let’s turn to Ephesians 3:18 (NIV): “[That you may] have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.”

Consider how wide God’s love is. If you measured from one end of the earth to the other, across oceans and nations, you still could not reach the full width. If you tried to comprehend how deep it goes, or how high it ascends, you would find it bottomless and limitless.

The amount of God’s love you can comprehend is reflected in your relationship with Him. If your understanding is shallow, your response will be shallow. But if you grasp the depth of His love, your life will reflect it in profound ways.

Let’s bring this to our human relationships. The amount of love you have for someone determines how you treat them. If you love your spouse deeply, you’ll cover their weaknesses and protect their dignity. If you love your close friend, you won’t speak against them in public. Instead, you’ll defend and polish their image.

Others may see flaws—a bent head, large ears, or awkward mannerisms—but when love is present, all you see is beauty. Love changes your perspective.

God created all people—tall, short, fair, dark, large, small. We are all His handiwork, and He loves each of us equally. His love is not based on appearance. So, as children of God, we must learn to fathom the dimensions of His love and appreciate who our Father is.

Now let’s examine some attributes of love:

Love is stainless—nothing defiles it. Wherever there is holiness or righteousness, love is there. Love constantly affirms, “You are good,” “You are beautiful.”

1 Corinthians 13 speaks to this:

• “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” (1 Corinthians 13:4, NIV)

Sometimes we think we’re the ones holding onto God, striving to love Him. But in truth, it is God who holds onto us. Even when we drift, His love keeps calling us back—just like the prodigal son, who remembered the love in his father’s house and returned. That planted love acted as a magnet, drawing him home.

We must also plant that kind of love in the lives of our children, our spouses, and our friends. When they stray, love will call them back. Love draws people in; it doesn’t push them away. People avoid places or relationships where they feel criticized or unwanted. But love makes people feel safe, accepted, and valued.

Even the servants in the prodigal son’s father’s house were recipients of love. The son realized that life away from home lacked the comfort and grace of that love. So he returned.

God is the one loving us first. We are simply responding. We try to be like Him, but the question remains: how much are we truly reflecting His love?

Let’s return to 1 Corinthians 13. Love is not just patient and kind. It does not envy or boast. It is not proud. Love doesn’t parade itself; rather, it hides behind the success of others. Like the saying, “Behind every successful man is a woman”—often unseen, yet essential.

This building, this congregation, the transformed lives—these are all fruits of love. Love asks, “What can I do for God?” It sacrifices to build lives, to turn the lost back to God, because that is the purpose of our creation: to worship the Living God.

When King Nebuchadnezzar set up a golden image, he commanded everyone to bow when the instruments played. Likewise, when we hear the music of Heaven, we shouldn’t sit idle, as if we want to share in God’s glory without worship. Let your body respond. Rejoice. Dance like David did. Express yourself in God’s presence.

Romans 5:8 (NIV) says, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

God’s love is not conditional. He doesn’t love us because we love Him first. Even the world loves those who love them. But God’s love is infinite. He causes the rain to fall on the righteous and the unrighteous alike. His love is spread generously, like a sower casting seed.

So how will you receive that love? Will you let it yield 100%, 60%, or nothing at all? We are not to withhold God’s love. We are not to love only those who love us back. We love because He first loved us. We love to reveal that God is alive—because God is love.

1 John 4:7-8 (NIV) says, “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

Let’s go and show love.