A Love of Another Kind

So tomorrow is St. Valentine’s Day, so there are hearts everywhere at the moment. Flowers have doubled in price, and there are candy displays in all of the stores. Something else happened last week that has me thinking about love today.

Most of you know that I really enjoy the music of Rich Mullins. I think it is lyrically deep and musically interesting. Twenty-five years after his death, I believe his music is still relevant. I’m far from the only person who thinks this. A previously undiscovered live concert of Rich’s was just released this past week. One of the tracks is a live version of a song he wrote that Amy Grant recorded. It’s called “Love of Another Kind.” The song begins:

They say love is cruel, they say love is rather fragile,

But I've found in You a love of another kind.

They say love brings hurt, I say love brings healing,

Understanding first, it's a love of another kind.

The love I know is a love so few discover.

They need to know, Jesus’ love is like no other.

As this song has been stuck in my head for the past week, and as Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, I’m reminded of two truths. The first is that when we talk about “love,” we have to be sure to define that term carefully. In Rich’s song, there’s a difference between what “they say,” and the “love of another kind” that Jesus offers his followers. The understanding of love that we often hear sung about, or portrayed, or practiced isn’t necessarily the deep love of God that he showed to us in Jesus.

As a good friend of Jesus once wrote, “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him,” (1 John 4:7-9, NIV). God showed us what love was in Jesus. But this also leads me to the second thing I’m thinking about—we need to show that love to others. As Rich wrote, “The love I know is a love so few discover. They need to know, Jesus’ love is like no other.” How will they know unless we show them?

Next week is the beginning of Lent. Next Monday in the E-Gram, I’ll be encouraging us to think about whether there is something we want to give up for Lent, or is there something we want to add to our routines as we prepare for the Easter season.

God bless, Brian

Scripture readings for next Sunday

Mark 8:1-21—What is Jesus revealing through his miracles? Mark 8:22-38—What is the significance of what Jesus reveals here?

Deuteronomy 6:13-19—Why does Scripture warn against putting God to the test?

2 Samuel 7:1-16—What is the significance of God’s message to David?