With nine weeks, or nine editions of the Goshen Gazette between now and Shavu'ot, I want to share a series of teachings on the Fruit of the Spirit. Many of us are truly longing for a real filling of the Holy Spirit and there is nothing to indicate Scripturally, that YHWH G-d operates half-way or half-full. I heard several years ago as I implored of Him as to why we did not see the gifts of the Spirit in operation as was so prevalent in Messiah's earthly ministry and throughout the book of Acts by the Apostles. Y'hshuwah did say, His followers would do greater works than had been seen at that time, so I asked, why. The response was immediate and succinct, "We don't see the gifts because He doesn't see the fruit."
So, for those who would truly like to be filled, really filled and able to share the gifts of His Spirit, we have nine weeks to learn about the nine fruits of the Spirit and be ready for Shavu'ot! I'm not suggesting we should be holding YHWH to our time table, but Y'hshuwah did say, "Be ready!" and Ecclesiastes 3 speaks of "to everything there is a season." Since the Holy Spirit was given at the same season as Torah, and Y'hshuwah died at the same season as YHWH's Passover, I don't want to be missing HIS season.
The first gift mentioned in the list is, Love. We are told in I John 4:8 that G-d is love, so it makes sense that love would be the place to start! We'll begin with what we know and seek HIM for further impartation. Love is both a noun and a verb. It can be both expressed and experienced. Love has definition; and by the definition as a noun, demonstration is required, thereby making it a verb, also.
The following definition came from my thesaurus, and in each case, there is a second definition pertaining to a sexual perspective of love, which Scripturally would be in the bonds of marriage. I'm not discounting intimate love, because that was also designed by our Creator, but for the purpose of this article, I'll just address the more generalized definition of love. The type of love that is described in I Corinthians 13 and Galatians 5:22, which is in the Greek: agape. When we have a general understanding of love, as G-d is, we will express love appropriately for the circumstances and clearly discern between love, intimacy, and lust. Even the secular dictionaries and thesauruses separate the definitions of love, so surely by the leading of the Holy Spirit, we can as well.
Love - noun
1. The feeling which animates a person who is genuinely fond of someone or something.
Synonym: affection, attachment, devotion, fondness,
Related: piety, worship, allegiance, fealty, fidelity, loyalty, emotion, sentiment, infatuation, passion,
yearning, ardency, ardor, enthusiasm, fervor, zeal
Antonyms: antipathy, aversion, animosity, enmity, hostility, rancor, abhorrence, detestation, hatred
2. The affection and tenderness felt by lovers.
Amorousness, amour, passion, crush, infatuation, desire, lust, yearning, ardency, ardor, fervor
Synonym: sweetheart
Love - verb
1. To like or desire actively
Synonym: adore, delight
Related: appreciate, cherish, prize, treasure, value, dote, fancy, deify, exalt, idolize, revere, venerate
Antonyms: abuse, give up, reject, relinquish, avoid, disregard, ignore, neglect, overlook, shun, slight
2. To feel a lover’s passion, devotion, or tenderness
Synonym: adore, affection, worship
I Corinthians 13 tells us, what Love is and what Love is not. In every example, the term charity which is translated from the Greek word [agape] implies an expression based upon a spiritual presence, rather than just a feeling. Galatians 5:19 lists the opposite of LOVE.
In seeking greater understanding with regard to this intangible essence called love, I discovered, when it is of G-d, it is an outward expression not based upon an action or reaction of another human being. It is so easy to love someone that loves us first or loves us back, isn't it? Not everyone chooses to love back, because we do know, we can love someone and that love is not returned. Some people are actually willing to receive love without returning it. That does present a challenge to those of us who choose to love, because our G-d is love. How do we love without expectation? I happen to know that answer. We love because G-d loves us and we allow His love to flow through us, without expectation from another human being and certainly without mingling lust or greed in it. The love Y'hshuwah showed and the love, Paul is talking about is the reflection of our Heavenly Father. Even when lust or greed is not involved, even in innocent or brotherly love, humans tend to have hope or expectation that love will be returned. I believe Y'hshuwah did too. Many times it is not! Then what?
This may sound simplistic, but considering love is compared to fruit, how complicated should it be? It should be sweet and it should simply be available. The branch does not determine who receives the best or the seconds. To truly be the branch we are called to be, the fruit produced must be sweet and a beautiful reflection of our Creator. That isn't within our power or our emotions. The fruit is the end product, determined at the root, and the vine. The branch simply bears the fruit. I included the antonyms of love, as well, because it's easy to be tempted to withdraw love when our outreach is met with disregard or hostility. To be shunned or rejected can be horribly painful, but that is where we take hold of the truth that G-d is love and His children express His love. Love is not a reactionary emotion, as our society leads us to believe. So for those who do not return our love, or even worse respond to our love in antipathy, don't stop loving, just realize we should not let their response define the sweetness of the fruit our Heavenly Father wants to see in us.
Although the thesaurus didn't list it in the antonyms, I John 4:18 does, and I know this in my own life. Fear is the opposite of love. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
Perfect love doesn't fear the response or even rejection. Perfect love simply flows from a heart that loves G-d and is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Perfect love is between YHWH and His child, and that overflows into our human interactions, regardless of the human response.
G-dly love is more than a feeling, it's a presence, it's a commitment, it's a decision, it's an action. Love makes the intangible ardor, a tangible treasure.
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