I Love You

 I love you.

-- so, I will care about your soul and your person, both in outward display and in my heart. I will show such concern by my words and actions, both to you and to others, words and actions grounded firmly in God's truth.

I love you.

-- so, I will demonstrate to you the very highest form of love, which is God's love, through Christ, shining through me as His vessel, child, image-bearer and gospel-message-bearer; I will do so by speaking His truth as shown in His Word: truth of creation, of who He is, of what He has done and is doing and will do, of who we are (both physically and spiritually), of what He requires of us, of how we are to respond to Him, of our burden of sin, of His gift of grace and salvation through the blood of Christ, and of our eternal destination(s) and how we get there.

I love you.

-- so, I will love you as God loves you, as best I can; love which is marked by compassion and graciousness, and a firm adherence to the truth, God's truth; neither compromising on genuine care and concern for your soul and your true well-being, nor on the unwavering, unchanging reality of His truth.

I love you.

-- so, I will not entertain or encourage your lies or deceptions, whether realized or unrealized, whether to yourself or to others.

I love you.

-- so, I will recognize, remember, and honor you as who you truly are: a human being, imago Dei -- made in the image of God, knitted by Him in your mother's womb, known and cherished by Him before you were conceived; eternally the same biological person you were at birth, despite any outward appearances or claims (physical or verbal), and any inward persuasions (mental or emotional).

I love you.

-- but, I love God more than I love you.

I love Him first and foremost.

I am primarily responsible to Him, I answer chiefly to Him, I owe my most ardent and intentional obedience, love, respect, and praise to God and God alone.

I love God.

-- so, I love you.

I love you because He loved me first.

I love you because you have been made in His image.

I love you with the love of God through Christ, so graciously and freely and lavishly displayed to and bestowed upon me; 

an awesome, tremendous, staggering love, the highest love, a love He desires to lavish on you as well; 

a love which He desires you to know personally, to wholly captivate your heart, to draw you to Him, to bring you to salvation; 

a love which He desires to give to you to make your own, to share so freely with others, a love grounded in truth and holiness, from God, by God, and for God, to His glory and honor and praise.

I love you with the love of God.

And so I love you in His truth.

And so I exhort you to turn to Him and to know that love yourself. 

I love God.

And I love you. 💚✝

"In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." - I John 4:9-11