Seeking Love Actually

By Nelson Thomas Mumbai

Few years ago a leading English News paper in India had a special column where all who seek love could give free advertisement. I wrote the following message for them.
Dear friend,
        I am so happy to know that you seek love and friendship, so do I. We all are in the same boat, seeking true, actual love and friendship! We know the power of ‘love’. It can revive the heart of a discouraged man / woman. Love can give new hope and meaning for life. Without love, life is boring and hopeless. Love inspires, challenges, and strengthens one another. Love can cover many mistakes. Love forgets the bad and remembers the good. Love helps, saves and blesses.
         St. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ narrated love thus, "‘Love is patient, and is kind, love envy not, love does not parade itself, love is not puffed up, love is not easily provoked, loves makes no record of evil, love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things”.

Love is the answer
Truly this world needs more love. There are many who are hurt and desperately longing for love and acceptance. Children do not find love in parents. Parent’s expectations are not fulfilled in children. Friends fail to trust each other. Many incidents of cheating, lie, etc make them to think that no body loves them truly. In the midst of too many complicated matters of the present life style, sense of unworthiness fills the heart of many. In despair they lament, “Unwanted, unaccepted, meaningless, hopeless life”!!!
         In such a scenario love is the answer, love is the key. You see, with out air we can survive for few minutes, without water and food we can survive for few days, but with out love we can not survive for even a moment. Few years ago I remember reading a report of one suicide in Mumbai. That young man left this suicide note, ‘no body loved me’.
         Yes, there is money, position, education, and a good family. There is no lack of health, status even pleasures too. Yet people could not find true love. They end up in frustration. That means more than any thing else in this world our heart is longing for love and acceptance. Even if poverty and sickness fill our days in this world, with true love of an affectionate friend we can overcome all those normal, human problems.

Selfless love
My friend, let me tell you from the bottom of my heart, I love you; there are many others who love you; above all there is some one who loves you so much. I would like to tell you more about such love, actual love and loving people. Do not be discouraged if you don’t find true love every where. Do not be deceived by those who would exploit your search for love.
         Basically ‘true love’ comes from some one, who does not look for love; some one who could be the source of all love. How can a hungry man feed you? How can a bankrupt friend help you in your poverty? That is true about love too. The one who can love another must be satisfied in his / her search for love.
         Sad to notice that today, the ‘love’ of many is actually ‘selfish passion’. It is only an external expression of their liking for that person. May be due to their charm, outward beauty, or some thing else. They find pleasure in their presence; they expect some benefit in having friendship with them. Their intention is to satisfy their needs-need for love and acceptance, and even sexual needs. So they say I love you. In reality, such love is based on selfish intentions only.

Lover becomes murderer!
How frequently we hear about ‘lover’ becomes a robber or even a murderer. When they are convinced that their selfish motives are questioned or not fulfilled, they become violent. They will go any extent in pouring their anger on the other, often killing them! Is it love actually? How heartbreaking it is, even after so many such instances people fall in to such trap of love.
         Your search for ‘love actually’ is an indirect admission that not all love are true! Yes, not all can love us in reality, sacrificially and for ever. Dear friend, as I mentioned earlier, let me introduce the one who loves you actually. One who loves you irrespective your state or status. As He extends His love to you He does not care ‘who you are’ or ‘what you are’. Yes, he loves saint as well as sinner. He loves with out any hidden motive, loves to give you, help you. Who is He? He is the almighty God, your creator.

God’s love
The Bible says, “God so loved us that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have ever lasting life.” John.3:16.
         Notice that God does not love in mere words; He gave His son for us. He died for the sins of mankind that through His perfect sacrifice sins of man will be atoned and thus man will be forgiven and given life with God.
Let me copy some more scripture portions where it is perfectly declared that God loves you, not for His benefit, but for your own good. Just as you are, you can go to Him and receive this love. We will consider more about this divine love later. Please go through the following Bible references.

“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” Romans.5:8.
“The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving kindness I have drawn you.” Jeremiah.31:3
“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together Christ (by grace you have been saved)…” Ephesians.2:4, 5.
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” 1 John.3:1a.
“In this love of God was manifested toward, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that wee might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 1John.4:9, 10.
“And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” 1John.4:16

Consider the meaning, the depth and the implications of God’s love for us. Christian believers who meditated on God’s love revealed in the Bible, could not hold back their appreciation. They wrote:

“Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus!
Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free,
Rolling as a mighty ocean
In its fullness over me.
Underneath me, all around me,
Is the current of Thy love,
Leading onward, leading homeward,
To my glorious rest above”

“His love is more than tongue can tell!
His love is more than tongue can tell!
The love that Jesus had for me
Is more than tongue can tell!”

Dear friend, will you consider to explore this love, divine love? We will consider more aspects of God’s Love for you and me in my next message. Please feel free to share your view on this topic with me. It is my prayer that you may experience the love God and live a joyful life.