For God is Love

1 John 4:8 – For God is Love 💖

You know, I was thinking today about how the word love gets thrown around so easily. I mean, we say “I love these shoes!” or “I love that show!”—but what are we really saying? Most times, it’s about something we want or feel deeply about. And if we’re being honest, it often ends up being more about us than anything else.

But today, something clicked for me that I just had to share with you.

I was doing some Hebrew word study—you know how I love diving into the roots of things—and I came across the word love again. The Hebrew word for love is Ahava (אַהֲבָה). And guess what? At the very root of Ahava is the word “hav” (הב), which means to give.

Let that sink in for a second: Real love begins with giving. Not taking. Not needing. Not craving. But giving. That one truth literally rocked my world today.

The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Love isn’t some fluffy feeling that sweeps us off our feet. It’s not a “fall” (that word always bugged me—fall? Like down a hole?). No, love is a decision. A choice. A firm, cast-iron commitment. It’s an act of the will that says, “I will keep giving to you—whether you deserve it or not, whether you return it or not, whether it’s convenient or not.”

And doesn’t that sound just like God?

Suddenly, so many verses I’ve read all my life came alive in a new way. Here are just a few I couldn’t stop thinking about:

• Romans 5:8 – “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
• John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that He gave…”
• 1 John 4:16 – “God is love.”
• Romans 8:38–39 – Nothing can separate us from the love of God.
• Ephesians 2:4–5 – Even when we were dead, He loved us.
• 1 John 4:19 – “We love because He first loved us.”

It’s everywhere: Love gives. Love gives. Love gives.

And when we give, we become more like Him. I once shared a little teaching called The Four Faces of Love, and reading all this again reminded me of how true it still is. Here’s a quick summary:

1. Love is always about the other person. It’s selfless and focused outward. It says, “My eyes are only for you.”
2. Love is sacrificial. It doesn’t count the cost. It says, “Whatever it takes.”
3. Love anticipates. It meets needs before they’re even expressed. It says, “I see you, and I’m already moving toward you.”
4. Love finds joy in loving. It doesn’t demand anything in return. Just the act of loving—of giving—is the reward.

And here’s the beautiful twist: When you love like this, something shifts inside you. You start becoming a better, more godly version of yourself. You reflect God’s nature more. You shine more. You grow.

So maybe, friend, it’s time we flip the script. Let’s stop asking what love can give us, and start asking how we can give love. Let’s make love a verb again. Not just something we feel, but something we do.

Because honestly, if God is love—and He is—then to love like this is to live like Him.

This might just deserve a follow-up piece. But for now, let’s go and give. Because Love means to give.

Have a beautiful, love-filled day 💛

With all my heart,

Pastor Charles Oladapo Abraham