Valentine’s Day.  

Just looking at the word ignites visions of red roses, chocolate hearts, and/or baby faces with arrows.  The imagery is vibrant and many, but only one word comes to mind.

LOVE.

Maybe you think of love as portrayed in cheesy rom coms or Hallmark Christmas movies (no judgement – I’m human, too).

Or do you think of love as a harrowing adventure?

The word love, as we know it in the English language, can be translated over 100 times.  FUN FACT: Japan did not have a word to translate love until the late nineteenth century.  

According to an ad aired by Google Translator in 2019,

“Everyday the most translated words in the world are “How are You? Thank You and I love You.”

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT LOVE: OLD TESTAMENT

Hebrew is no different.  The word translated for love in Hebrew is Ahavah.  

One of my all-time favorite Bible resources is the Bible Project.  (I may have to dedicate an entire post as to why I recommend this so strongly, but it will suffice to say that it is full of excellent biblical commentary and visually stunning features and tools!) 

“[Ahavah] sometimes describes physical affection, like the king of Persia’s “love” for Queen Esther but there are other Hebrew words that more specifically refer to physical desire or sex (the words for that are dodim or ‘agab). Ahavah is more broad. So Abraham had ahavah for his son Isaac—that’s parental love. Jonathan showed ahavah for his friend David, that would be brotherly love.”

Bible Project

Ahavah is the translation for the word love found in the Shema that God’s people prayed everyday, encouraging us that we are to Ahavah God and His people as well.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT LOVE: NEW TESTAMENT

If you open your Bible App, click the little magnifying glass, and type in l-o-v-e, you will receive an overwhelming list of verses that will seem familiar to believers and unbelievers alike, many coming from the New Testament.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

‭‭John‬ ‭3:16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

This specific love is where the nerd in me comes out.  The translation here for love is different from the ahavah of the OT.  This love that Jesus spoke of first, followed by his disciples, is an action, not a mere feeling.

“But here’s what’s fascinating. The earliest followers of Jesus who wrote books of the New Testament in Greek, they didn’t learn the meaning of agape by looking it up in ancient dictionaries. Rather, they looked to the teachings of Jesus and the story of his life to redefine their very concept of “love.”’

Bible Project

“THE FOUR LOVES”

In his 1960 work, The Four Loves, CS Lewis discovers and analyzes the Greek agape love, and also the three other types of love that can be translated in Greek within the BIble.

• EROS: romantic love

This translation can be found in the Hebrew translation as agab and is best for describing a romantic love between man and woman. It is a physical love, a passion or doting of another.

Lewis claims the love of Eros can be demonstrated best as Christ being the bridegroom of the Church.

• PHILIA: friendship bond

Lewis addresses this love as the least demanding.  .

This love is best described as an experience shared with another, a friendship.  But not any generic friendship; instead, philia is the sort of friendship where you have “that feeling where you can pick up right where you left off.”

This is the most common love demonstrated in the Bible, and as Lewis suggests, “our most strictly commanded communion with God.”

• STORGE: empathy bond

This is the most natural translation of love, it is the love expressed through familiarity, family, closeness or ones “bonded by chance” as Lewis describes.  We see this love lived out by Jacob’s love for his sons, Mary and Martha’s love for their brother Lazarus, and even the way parents love their children.

According to Lewis, storge love is the love of God as our Father and we as His daughters.

• AGAPE: unconditional love of God

This love.  I have Taylor Swift singing in my mind as I write these words. This agape love, it transcends and overtakes any other translation of love.  Lewis recognizes this selfless love as the greatest of the four loves, and sees it as a specifically Christian virtue to achieve.

That’s because this love, agape, is unconditional.  There is no circumstance that could change it.  There is no measure that could dilute it.  This is pure, sacrificial, incomprehensible, lavishing; love.  

The word love essentially captures the divinity of Jesus; In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word is God (John 1:1). It is because God loves (agape) so much that He sent His son to be the sacrifice needed to reconcile us Holy.

WILL YOU BE MY VALENTINE?

It’s apparent, from even the slightest study, that love is a prominent characteristic of God.  As John declared, we love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).

So, this Valentine’s Day, whether you are getting lavished with chocolates and flowers, or feeling the sting of the absence of affection, take heart my sister. 

The thing that defines love is not material.  In fact, you cant see it at all.  But just as you can sense the heat of the sun without it shining on your face, so is it with God.  You may or may not sense His presence, but you can be confident, because of His agape, if you have been saved by Grace through faith in Jesus Christ, you are loved beyond measure.

And if you haven’t accepted Jesus as your Lord and savior (you might not even know what that means yet), trust me when I tell you, He is in pursuit of your heart, asking you to “Be Mine.”  

THE POWER OF LOVE

Love is a very powerful word.  Endless images and feelings can be produced just by those four simple letters.

Consider Pauls letter to the Corinthians.  Love is so much more than a feeling or a statement.  Love is an action that was crafted by the creator of the universe for me and you.

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:4-7, 13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

---

LET’S CHAT

Was there something new you learned today?  Anything stick out to you?  Want to know more about this unconditional agape love that Jesus has for you?  Connect with me in the comments or find me on instagram and DM me @iamanchoredbyhope! I am here with and for you, sister!

It’s one week until Christmas and I definitely don’t feel like I’m in the Christmas Spirit. 

If I’m honest (which is not hard for me to be), my heart feels far from one of adoration and joy. And the worst part is there’s no reason for it.  Unfortunately, some days (even weeks at times) my mental health is just harder than others; I’m easily distracted, easily irritated, finding it hard to be grateful. Anyone feel me?

In these moments, it’s really hard for me to authentically pray. I let the Devil deceive me into believing that I have to feel close to God in order for Him to hear me. And, well, that’s a lie. 

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? Jeremiah 17:9

Maybe you’re reading this and thinking, “sister, I am with you.”  Or maybe you are walking hand in hand in a season of closeness and calm. Even if you’re reading this never having prayed before, I’m sure the thought of how to even begin seems overwhelming. 

None of these things mean we don’t pray. In contrast, we are to pray, always!

🙏 Anxious? Pray (Philippians 4:6)

🙏 Convicted? Pray (James 5:16)

🙏 Longing? Pray (John 15:7)

🙏 Defeated? Pray (Romans 8:26)

🙏 Thankful? Pray (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

🙏  Happy? Pray (Romans 12:12)

🙏 Saturday? PRAY (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

That is why I love prayer prompts. Ever heard of them?  Chances are if you grew up in the church, you’ve heard of these and maybe do this already. 

But, if you’re a new or newer believer (I’ve been saved by grace for over a decade and just heard of these a couple years ago!), then I hope these help you to focus on Jesus and armor up in our daily battles.

---

DON’T MISS THIS

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God… praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:13-18 ‭ESV‬‬

Yes, praying is a weapon in our arsenal against the enemy. I don’t know about you, but I think that’s powerful. 

While I don’t necessarily think prayer should always be so stiff, I also think that using this prompt helps me to better freely open up while I pray, and allow the Spirit to lead me.

---

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Prayer is PERSONAL.  I don’t believe there is a wrong way to pray. If you are saved by grace too, then the Lord knows your heart (Romans 8:26). 

---

P.R.A.Y

So here is my favorite prayer prompt to help you focus on, or be more intentional while/when you pray. 

P is for PRAISE (Hebrews 13:15)
“Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.”

Start your prayer by praising our savior. It is scientifically proven that gratitude can change everything. When we start our prayers with praise, we are intentionally shifting our thoughts to all the good we have and all the things we’re thankful for. 

R is for REPENT (Isaiah 1:27)
“Zion shall be redeemed by justice, and those in her who repent, by righteousness.”

Isaiah assures us that we are redeemed through the blood of Jesus. He forgives us – completely and totally, no questions asked, not ebcause of anything we have done, but because of HIS righteousness that we are clothed in as new creations in Christ.  Think about apologizing to a friend and receiving their forgiveness; that’s how relationships grow. Or if you’re a parent, how grateful are you when your child admits when they’re wrong and sincerely apologizes? How we communicate with our Heavenly Father is no different. 

A is for ASK (John 15:7)
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

It is written clear as day in Gods word that we can ask for anything in prayer, if we ABIDE in Christ. The world likes to call this “the law of attraction.” But really, it’s people genuinely asking God (who they mistake for the “universe”, but that’s a whole other post) for the desires of their heart.  Remember, just because someone doesn’t believe in God, doesn’t mean He’s not actively pursuing them (John 3:16-17). Also remember Gods timing is not the same as our own. The scripture doesn’t say you’ll receive it right away. But when we abide in the Lord, our will and desires will ultimately line up with His will, and for His glory .

Y is for YIELD (Proverbs 18:20)
From the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach is satisfied; he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.

Finally, close your prayer by giving it all up to the one who upholds it all in His hands. Everything we have is His.  Every breath is a gift. Every trial refines us. Every detail of every thing we see, think, feel, touch – it’s all God. So whatever it is you’re holding onto that’s hindering you in this moment, shake it off and into His mighty and capable hand. 

---

Just because I don’t feel like I’m in the Christmas Spirit, doesn’t mean I can’t experience the Christmas Spirit. 

As we think about the little baby in a manger, fully God and fully man, I hope this prayer prompt helps us to grow closer to our Emmanuel, God with us (2 Timothy 1:9).  

I have a Christmas gift for you! Yes, YOU! Head over to the FREEBIES tab in the menu and get my secret code to download a special edition Christmas Aesthetic Prayer Prompt to save to your phone! (I keep mine on my Lock Screen and my babies on my Home Screen 😘!)

Do you have questions about prayer or want to talk to someone about praying? You can always reach out to me on social or email! I’m here for you, sister!