Some people say they love pizza or chocolate cake, and I bet you have a food that is your favorite.  And others will say they love another person’s outfit or hat. Do you have a favorite shirt you like to wear?  But is this the way Jesus uses the word love? Not really. In the Bible, we are told that “God is love” (1 John 4: B). But what does that mean?

Well, Jesus told one of His stories, called parables, to help us understand. He told the story of a man’s son who decided to make a very bad choice (Luke 15: 11-32). Have you ever made bad choices or done naughty things? Well, the younger son in Jesus’ story sure

did.

So, one day the younger of the man’s two sons went to his father and asked to be given all the money he would get when the father died. This was such an insult to the father, but he did as the son asked and gave the young man his portion. The young man took it

and left, as though his father didn’t even exist anymore. Then the son went out and spent all of this money on things that were bad for him, and when he found that he had no more money, he found a job at a very-poor pig farm. It was not good for him at all. So, one day he thought to himself, “I’m starving here, and I can’t survive this way. My father’s servants live much better than this. I will go home, beg my father’s forgiveness and ask to become one of his servants because I don’t deserve to be his son anymore.”

The lad, now dressed in rags, picked himself up and walked home. Well, don’t you know, his father had been watching and waiting for him all those many days. And when he saw his son, he actually ran out to hug and kiss him. Wow! That is not something any Jewish father would do, especially if he had been so insulted.  But he did do it. Why? Because he loved his son so much!  The young man fell to his knees and asked his father for forgiveness. Do you know what the father did then? He called for the finest robe in the house to dress him and for a ring to show that the lad was this man’s son again, and then the father threw him a

party! Wow! Now that’s love.

Did you know that Father God loves you each so much that He sent Jesus to die on the cross for you and for me?  If we will come to Him, ask forgiveness for the naughty things we have done in our lives and ask Him to be the boss of our lives, He will make us His sons and daughters forever (John 1:12-13)! If you think this is something that you would like to do, talk to your mom and dad. They would be pleased to pray for you.

Let’s never forget that truly, “God is love” (1 John 4: 8b), and if you ask Him to come into your life, He is there with you at all times, even when things get very scary. That’s the true meaning of Love.