Here are 15 Scripture verses about love for God that will help us better understand how we show love to our Creator.
Love is a complex word used by many. We use the term in our conversations with loved ones, we hear it in music, television, movies. Not every person who uses the word love understands what it means though, and not everyone who claims to love means it.
Sometimes even believers do not truly understand the word or use it correctly. The Bible speaks about love too, and many times. In the King James Version of Scripture, love appears 310 times.
We learn from Scripture that love originated with God. Our understanding of love, and ability to live it out began with God’s love for us.
“We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)
We see God’s love on full display throughout the Bible. We see it in God’s creation of mankind, where He created Adam and Eve (Genesis 2). Even after the Fall in the following chapter of Genesis, God continued to show love for humanity throughout the ages, culminating, but not ending with, the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
The Bible makes very clear God’s love for us, and thankfully, we also can understand why we love God.
But how do we, imperfect beings, love someone who loves us so perfectly?
Jesus mentions that the greatest commandment from God to His people is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37).
When we commit to loving God, we do so through obedience to His teachings, trusting in Him, and maintaining our faith. When we love, we care about God and give thanks to Him for all that He is in our lives. These ideas occur throughout the Bible in the passages that speak to our love for Him. Each one echoes the commandment Jesus spoke about.
Here are 15 Scripture verses about love for God that will help us better understand how we show love to our Creator.
Photo Credit: Teraphim
15 Love for God Verses
“We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)
God plays many roles in our lives, including that of Father and Teacher, showing us how to live properly. The best way to live is to do so loving others, especially God.
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15)
Our love for God should transcend our desire for earthly possessions or people. In effect, God has designed us to hold Him as our first love, our greatest priority.
“But I have trusted in your faithful love; my heart will rejoice in your deliverance. I will sing to the Lord because he has treated me generously.” (Psalm 13:5-6)
One way to show God love is through praise. We glorify Him by offering praise for what He does in our lives. He loves us more than we deserve. When we give thanks for His love, we don’t have to limit ourselves to pray. We can also sing to Him.
“I love the Lord because he has heard my appeal for mercy.” (Psalm 116:1)
This is another expression of gratitude reflecting on the specific ways God cares for us. Expressing gratitude to God helps us to better honor Him. When we can pinpoint specific reasons to be grateful, we bring Him that much more honor.
“If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and yet hates his brother or sister, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother or sister whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” (1 John 4:20)
Another way to show love to God is to show love to others. Much like He created us in our mother’s womb, God has done the same with everyone else (Psalm 139:13). This verse makes clear that we cannot claim to love God while feeling or spreading hate about other people. No matter our differences we are all God’s children, believers and nonbelievers alike.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:5)
When we love God we aim to do so in every possible way. Our love for Him should be the focal point of our everyday living if we are using all of our “strength.”
“He answered, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,” and “your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27)
This verse is a reminder of the greatest commandments. Obeying God in what He requires of us shows our love for Him.
“Therefore, love the Lord your God and always keep his mandate and his statutes, ordinances, and commands.” (Deuteronomy 11:1)
As a child obeys his father, we too should obey God. Obedience reflects a level of trust, acknowledging that God’s ways are superior to our own.
The one who has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father. I also will love him and will reveal myself to him.” (John 14:21)
Jesus says Himself that obedience is integral in our display of love. He revealed His obedience to God in how He lived life. We are to model that same behavior.
“Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love—but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)
Sometimes believers are tempted to show favoritism and even exclusive appreciation for other believers only. Here we see that God holds love to be greater than faith. This elevated call to love can prompt us into showing more appreciation for everyone no matter their faith background.
“Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.” (1 Chronicles 16:11)
Our relationship with God is a daily experience, and requires effort on our part. Love is not just what we proclaim, but is also evident in our actions.
“My lips will glorify you because your faithful love is better than life.” (Psalm 63:3)
This is another reminder to glorify God in our lives. What God offers us through His love is far greater than what we could obtain on our own or what the world could give to us.
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)
To love God wholly, we need to consider everything we do in accordance to His statutes. The small and big things we do day to day reflect how much and how we love God.
“Give thanks to the God of heaven! His faithful love endures forever.” (Psalm 136:26)
As God’s love endures forever, we should try to love forever also. We are to continuously love God and love people.
“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)
As our love for God is continuous, we know with certainty that our relationship to Him will not end no matter our circumstances. God loves us and we should continue to love God. The only way we can lose a relationship with him is by our own choosing.
Love as a Two-Way Street
These verses from Scripture serve as a great reminder for the love we experience through God. We love because He first loved us, and through our knowledge of love we can give back to the Father as best we can.
When we are obedient, caring, thankful, and trusting, we reflect the love God showed us, back to Him.
Love as a Christian is always a two-way street because when feeling loved, the natural response is to reciprocate. We give love back to God and love back to other people.
As Christians, our greatest commandments, loving God and loving others, reflect the truth that we should constantly be giving love out to others.
May these verses from Scripture not only inform us on how to better love, but serve as reminders for the times we forget.
Design Credit: © SWN/Sarah Martin
Get in touch with him at aarondanthony.com and check out his debut short story anthology Honey Dreams on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
