Lesson 189. A Declaration of Love

In 1 Corinthians 13:8 it is written: ‘Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.’

In another translation we read: ‘Love is eternal.’

We do not very often hear words of love addressed to us. Not all our friends can tell us that they love us, although from their deeds and their treatment of us we can determine that they are special and genuine. And how it gladdens the heart when someone expresses the state of his inner world in the beautiful words, ‘I love you.’ How the soul rejoices! How pleasant it is to hear! And you understand that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

And sometimes no one ever says this to you.

And then a moment comes in my life when I, too, decide to love a particular person and tell him about it. My entire human being is invested in this declaration. And I am happy that I love. It is not always easy to say this, because I understand that my words may prove empty. When the testing of my love comes, will I withstand it, and will I remain faithful to my words? And, thinking this way, I may decide not to tell anyone anything, but my heart is burning; it cannot remain silent. What should I do?

A struggle with myself begins. And I forget that there is God, Who can bless any statement I make and make it true and effective. We read in Isaiah 44:26: ‘That confirmeth the word of His servant, and performeth the counsel of His messengers...’

God knows how fragile a human promise to love can be, and therefore He places His hand upon it and gives me His strength for this if I ask Him.

Before speaking words of love to your neighbor, try asking yourself this question: ‘Will I love this person if he does not respond to me in the same way? Will I love him if I learn that he is breaking the seventh commandment? Will I always love him, even if he becomes my enemy? Will I continue to love him if he changes his religious affiliation?’ Sometimes the answers to these questions reveal that my love has no solid foundation and is merely my decision in response to the good feeling I experience in my friend’s presence. Yet I read that love never fails, and I think that this is indeed so. But a test comes, and my decision changes.

Someone even said that there is only one step from love to hatred. This is how it happens in the world, and, unfortunately, it has become the norm.

I remember a stranger who wanted to gain my favor and sell me an unnecessary item at a high price. For this purpose, he was ready to call me his friend and speak of his love, but when I refused to make the purchase, his smile and love evaporated very quickly.

‘I love you if...’ How often do we hear this? And how often do we say it? But God desires to teach me to love always, eternally, and genuinely. And He even gave a commandment that teaches us to treat one another in precisely this way.

And He waits for our prayers so that He may give us this strength and teach us to love eternally.

And together with Him it is so simple, so natural, and so beautiful. When I understand that God’s power is within me, working through love, and that I love, and this remains with me in every trial, then I feel such joy in my heart, such happiness in life, such delight! I understand that love is genuine, that it exists and never fails. And I am not frightened by the changing moods of those whom I love. My attitude toward them does not change because I am united with the One Who is Love, and I ask God for this gift toward my neighbors and my enemies. And He gives it abundantly, and I love.

I do not very often receive the same in response to what is genuine in me. Sometimes I receive the exact opposite. But I am ready for such a response as well, because I understand that love must be tested and established in me before God’s seal is placed upon it. It is not always easy to endure this, and the closer the friend, the more painful the trial if he becomes your adversary; but love bears all things, believes all things, and hopes all things.

And so I decided to take this step; I decided to love. And sometimes I declared this to a friend before I prayed about it. The Lord puts my words into effect, and if afterward I ask Him to bless this decision of mine, the blessing will come. And Christ gives me strength to love at any time when I ask Him for it. It is extremely important to cooperate with God in this direction. For without Christ I can do nothing.

But I notice that, being a Christian, I treat all people with love and do so automatically. Such an attitude gladdens me; it is the norm of my life. Yet I do not pray for every person individually; I simply love. Could this really be less than genuine? Love places its imprint upon my heart and changes it, and my heart can no longer behave otherwise. I do not have to tell everyone about my feelings, nor do I have to speak to everyone about love. If it is in the heart, it will reveal itself in everything, and it does not need many words.

It is difficult to begin to love and to learn how to do so. But at some point this must be done. Many trials are very difficult and unpredictable. But in time one becomes established in love, and you are ready for any attack and calmly meet the adversary, knowing that you have already overcome because Jesus, Who never loses, is always beside you. You have already studied all the methods and arguments of the adversary, and his statements and accusations do not trouble you. ‘I love’—this is my answer to every argument. And may the Lord help me to stand firm in this decision.

When God’s love finds its place in my heart, then all my deeds become good, for they are moved by love. It is placed within every thought, every action, and every motive.

But the war is not yet over, and the enemy has not yet surrendered. And many battles still lie ahead—battles in which I do not want to fight but which cannot be avoided. And I must put on love, take up the shield of faith, the sword of God’s Word, the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, and the shoes of readiness, and go on the offensive in the footsteps of Jesus. And ahead awaits the highest reward of those who love—the Cross, which lifts you above earthly things and shows you to everyone as an overcomer.

Revelation 14:13: ‘And I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.’

And many of us will meet Christ alive, while being dead to sin and to the world.

To love a friend is wonderful; to love one another is happiness; to love an enemy is a pleasure, although not always a joyful one. And all of this must be learned. And we have only One Teacher—Christ. And He is very kind and wise. He never makes a mistake.

Ephesians 3:18–19: ‘May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.’

I love—this is my character. I love you—this is my attitude. Do you love me?—this is my desire to help you discover a new Heavenly world that is very beautiful. Let us love one another!—this is an invitation to learn to live eternally and to prepare to move to Heaven. But in order to give this, one must possess it. Yet it is worth beginning.

He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

1. What interesting things did you learn in this lesson?

2. What do you think prevents people from declaring their love to one another?

3. Why is it so important to reinforce the desire to love a person with God’s blessing?

4. What does God want to teach us?

5. What freedom does the Lord give when you decide to love unconditionally?

6. What awaits those who follow the path of love?

7. Is it worth telling people about love, or is it better to keep it to yourself as something personal?

8. Please read Isaiah 61:10; Jeremiah 31:3; Revelation 2:17, 26–28; Hebrews 10:24; Ephesians 4:2, 15–16; 3:9–10; Galatians 6:2; 1 Corinthians 13:13; Ephesians 6:11–18; Romans 12:14–15; 1 John 3:23–24; 4:10–12 in the light of our lesson.