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There is something I have been thinking about for some time: "Where Does Love Come From?" I have observed that most people believe Love is a learned behavior, which partly is true. We do learn from experience, drawing conclusions and ideas. But there is a deeper and, in my observation, an abstract being that is sensed by our very nature. We are made in the image of God. We often refer to this as the Imago Dei", Latin for the image of God. The first chapter of Genesis relays this to us: "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; "(Genesis 1:27). For me, this tells me we are, as human beings, already sensitive to Love in our lives from our birth. This does not remove the need for a personal God and a religious path to follow; what it does say is that inside each human being there is a longing for Love in our lives. St. Augustine, many years ago, states, "You have made us for yourself, oh Lord, and our hearts are restless till they rest in you." I want to speak to you about this. The human person, regardless of country, religion, lifestyle, or gender, seeks love in one way or another throughout their life.
W.H. Auden (1907-1973) wrote something in one of his poems (“September 1, 1939 “) that is a profound observation of the human person. "... bred in the bone/Of each woman and each man/Craves what it cannot have,/Not universal love/But to be loved alone. "This is the deeper, more personal side of love. It is a place or an area in our being that shares the God Creator and His personal love for us. I want to take a few moments here to dwell on this.
All of us have had the experience of being loved; perhaps it was the care given by our mother, perhaps it was the feelings of closeness to another human being that woke us to see the other; all of these are abstract situations that feed our need to be loved. Often, however, we do not see or understand the abstract at work in us. God, for many, is only found in Church. Remember, we are made in the image of God. He dwells within us. What attributes of God are present in our person? God is love, and the highest type of love is sacrifice. We are aware of Jesus, the Son of God, and His sacrifice for our redemption.
God is compassionate; that is, He understands our human nature. If you read Scripture, the entire bible is about these two values: love and forgiveness. If you are married for any length of time, you will understand these two values, love and forgiveness, very well. You do not progress in any relationship without these two concepts being used. These are the very values that God has given us in our being, if we choose to use them. Again, it's in every human, everywhere, anytime. They are universal and make life prosper and bring peace.
It is also individual; we seek to be loved as an individual for who we are. So often humans refuse to forgive and see with compassion just what is happening in their life and to others. If we choose revenge or hate, you can watch as these things deform the person. They bring anxiety and isolation; they can end up in violence or suffering for self or those we love. I ask you to test these ideas for yourself. One of the terrors of a relationship that has ended, or a friendship, is when we as a person are no longer allowed into the love we have grown into. Can you relate to the pain and emotional suffering this causes in our life? Why do you think this happens? Why is this shut door so hurtful? Could it be that this love we have found in a relationship and denied us has deeper roots? Love is God, and even our human relationships reflect the image in which we are made. We are mentally and often physically disabled because of the loss of love. What does that tell you about where love comes from? The suffering we are experiencing stems from our deep desire to be loved. God is love, and He loves His children. Our soul is part of our being, for we are made in God's image.
"Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. (Revelation 21:3)