Love: Our Greatest Need

If we were honest, most of us would say our greatest need is to be loved. Acceptance would come in a close second. In fact, for many people, love and acceptance go hand in hand, which is also true from God’s perspective. However, His view of love is much different from ours. In human thinking, love is often linked to what we have done right and well rather than freely given, unrelated to performance.

Many times we are tempted to believe that if we can please parents, spouses, employers, or friends, then we will feel loved, but this is never the case for too long. Life lived on this type of performance wheel becomes more of a chore than a motivation. The truth is, we cannot sustain the expectations of others very long. Sooner or later, the walls come crashing down, and life begins to crumble.

The apostle Paul writes, “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal . . . and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-2). All the works you may consider advantageous for earning right standing with God are insufficient to gain the love and acceptance He has for you. While Martha rushed around preparing a meal, Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, feasting on His every word. From God’s perspective, it was Mary who demonstrated love in action and who had chosen a “more excellent way” (Luke 10:38-42; 1 Corinthians 12:31).

The Lord’s love is the principle focus of this month. In “God’s Amazing Love,” we are reminded that sin—even what appears to be its darkest form—cannot prevail against God’s unconditional love, which is the only answer to our greatest need.

There is a heart wrenching story of sacrifice and love freely given for something dearly held. As 1 Corinthians 13:8 says, “Love never fails,” which is always true when God is involved. My prayer is that your deepest desire will be to live each day in His mercy, grace, and most of all in the abundance of His love.