WHY DOES THE BIBLE SPEAK SO MUCH ABOUT LOVE? IS IT REALLY THAT IMPORTANT?

SCRIPTURE:
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you: Now remain in my love. 
(John 15:9)

MEDITATION:
The Bible speaks often about love.
There is a horizontal love for others and a vertical love for God.
God has blessed some people with the ability to perform research 
and determine the effects of various things on the body and mind of people.
Some of them have spent time studying and researching the effects of love.

Science now provides evidence that what is experienced 
when we are involved in loving relationships involve various 
neurotransmitters and hormones in our bodies that affect us systemically.
Treatment of depression often times includes focusing on interpersonal 
relationships as a way to improve depression as is the case in attachment 
therapy in children and interpersonal therapy in adults.
Ultimately, encouraging their patients to be involved in loving and stable 
supportive relationships can potentially help in their recovery 
from common mental health illnesses.

Mahatma Ghandi once wrote, “Where there is love there is life”. 
Loving and stable relationships can help to improve a person's ability 
to manage stress and can help to decrease anxiety and depression. 
We are all social creatures. 
Research has shown that when it comes to mental health, 
doctors should be mindful and evaluate the patient’s level of “connectedness”. 
They should also always encourage them 
to develop and nurture stable and loving relationships.

“Human beings are social animals who have biological drives 
that make them want to find relationships”, says Dr. Hullett. 
“When they can't find those unions, they're punished with stress”. 
People in happy relationships experience less stress, 
which in turn improves their cardiovascular health. 
Furthermore, Dr. Hullett says people who aren't in stable, 
committed relationships have an increased rate of heart attacks.

Research suggests that happy couples who engage in positive conflict 
resolution have higher functioning immune systems than those who don't, 
(says Gian Gonzaga, MD, Sr. Director of R&D at eHarmony Labs). 
He points to a study by Ronald Glazer and Jan Kiecolt-Glaser, 
in which couples were observed during disputes.
 
The couples who displayed the most negative behavior during the fights 
also showed the largest decline in immediate immune system functioning. 
Those who argued in a more loving, positive way 
had higher immediate immune function.

The great Swiss theologian, Dr. Karl Barth, was probably in his generation 
the greatest theologian in the world, and a great philosopher as well. 
Some didn’t always agree with him, but they still respected him. 
While he was in this country, a student at one of the seminaries said, 
“Dr. Barth, what is the greatest truth that ever crossed your mind?”

All the seminary students were sitting on the edge of their seats 
to hear some great, profound, deep, complicated answer. 
Dr. Barth slowly raised his great shaggy gray head and looked at the student 
and said, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so”.
He knew that regardless of how he was treated by others, 
he could always be assured that he was loved by Jesus.

As we are told in the Bible, 
love is important in relationships with others, and with the 
spiritual trinity (God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit).
We have also discovered the importance of love 
for mental and physical health.
Consequently, love is something that we, as believers, 
should nourish in our hearts.

If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that 
I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is 
kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not 
dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps 
no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the 
truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where 
there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will 
pass away. (1 Corinthians 13:3-8)

ACTION:
Inhibitors to developing love in our hearts
are selfishness, self-centeredness, arrogant pride and egotism.
In order to increase love in your heart, 
you need to reduce these inhibitors in your own life.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for showing me the importance of love in my 
heart and soul. Thank You for showing me what sincere love looks like. 
Teach me to be able to more freely express love to others and of course, 
to You. Help me understand that love is much more than an emotion and that 
it is not a noun, but an action verb. Show me how to replace selfishness 
in my life with the type of love that resembles the love You have shown to 
me. A love that forgives and encourages others.”