"I Love You": A Broken Covenant

Three words in the English Language haven't expressed, or brought out, such a variety of emotions as "I Love You".  The expression is frequently used in the context of displaying a physical or emotional attraction for someone or something, otherwise known as a feeling.  As Christians, we must know the meaning of love, as this word is all over the love letter that God has given us, the Bible.  In 1 Corinthians, Chapter 13, verses 4-8, Paul gives us a beautiful description of what love is.

⁴ Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 

⁵ does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; ⁶ does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 

⁷ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
⁸ Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there aretongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

There are times which we have said we loved someone, and have not expressed any of the qualifications above for this gift God has given us.  There are other times in which we feel like we "fall" in and out of love.  But if love bears all things, how can one fall out of anything?  If God is love, than does that mean God stops loving us?  God forbid!  In Chi Alpha, we say that love is an unselfish choice for the highest good of God and His kingdom.  While this is true, it is difficult to describe all of the facets of love.  I would also define love as a covenant.  In saying "I love you", I am making a promise to be patient and kind to you, to not be jealous of you, or to show pride, to not be rude or spiteful to you.  I would make a promise that "over my dead body will I let you live a stupid, selfish life", a promise that I would be faithful to you always, and have confidence in you, no matter what happens, and that I would never fail you.  There are times in which people would tell me they loved me, and I would reply with a "thank you", or something along those lines, not because I wasn't fond of them, or wanting to be rude, but that in saying it back, I would be dishonest with them.  Now, knowing what love is, as Christians, we must take it very seriously.  Love generously, but be aware that when we declare it, we must live by it.