January 30th | Love First

---

Love First

After spending the entire month of January diving deep into our identity in Christ, I'm excited to shift gears this February and explore the profound theme of LOVE in Scripture. (Quick note: "love" appears hundreds of times across translations—roughly 442 in the KJV, 686 in the NIV, up to 759 in the NLT—making it one of the Bible's most recurring and central ideas.)

This morning, I turned to the Old Testament, specifically the first five books (the Pentateuch or Torah in Jewish tradition), traditionally attributed to Moses. These books lay the foundation for both Judaism and Christianity, serving as the "law" God's people followed before Jesus' coming—when time itself reset from BC to AD, and worship shifted dramatically after His sacrifice on the cross replaced the old system of animal offerings for atonement.

Right away, I noticed something powerful I'd overlooked before: even in the commandments about avoiding false idols, God's love shines through. In Exodus 20:6 (part of the second commandment), God declares He shows "love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments." Amid warnings against idolatry, He highlights His steadfast, generational love for those who respond in devotion.

Then there's the famous command in Leviticus 19:18: "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself." This isn't just kindness—it's a call to active, self-sacrificial love toward others.

In Numbers 14:18, Moses intercedes with God, describing Him as "slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished..." God's love is immense and forgiving, yet holy and just.

The theme builds strongly in Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy 6:5 commands: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." This is echoed repeatedly as the core response God desires from His people.

In Deuteronomy 7:7-9, Moses explains why God chose Israel: not because of their immense population or greatness, but "because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors." God is "the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments." Verses 12-13 add that obedience to His laws means He "will keep his covenant of love with you... he will love you and bless you and increase your numbers."

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 asks: "And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands... for your own good?"

Similarly, Deuteronomy 30:16 urges: "For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him and to keep his commands... then you will live and increase and the Lord your God will bless you." And verse 20: "and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life..."

These verses from the Old Testament show love isn't optional—it's the heartbeat of relationship with God. He loves first (choosing, redeeming, covenant-keeping), and He calls us to love Him fully in return through obedience, and to extend that love to others.

So, as we step into this new month and theme, ask yourself: What "land" are you entering right now—figuratively? A new season, challenge, business venture, relationship, or goal? Before any plans, projections, or pursuits, prioritize loving the Lord your God with everything you've got and walking in obedience to Him. When we do, Scripture promises blessing, increase, and a rich, full life—because this world was created by a loving God for His children to thrive in His promises.

Love first!