Love of God is Like Chum in the Water

Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the Lord.
Song of Solomon 8:6 ESV

Chum in the Waters

I’ve had to learn a hard lesson about love. When the presence of God’s love is in the air, it’s like throwing chum in shark-infested waters. It has amazed me over and over again, when the anointing of God’s manifest love is present, a feeding frenzy ensues. Hungry, love-starved predators come out from every angle to receive their due. It’s not as though I’ve witnessed and experienced this for the first time, but it’s only now that I’m taking notice.

Love of God

God’s holy love is intoxicating. It’s consuming, overwhelming, and enveloping. God’s manifest love is a tangible presence of purposed love. It’s different than God’s ever-present Love. God is love, so I am always loved. But what I’m talking about is an active Love presence—a love that’s actively working to make itself known. It’s a special grace, a personal demonstration of His love. And its very presence stirs the hearts of every passerby. I don’t believe you can remain untouched in the vicinity of this particular expression of God’s Love.

I’ve witnessed this many times in my walk with the Lord. When God is expressing His love, usually through another person, others begin to smell it and seek to make it their own. The anointing may be for one, but many begin to seek it in order to consume it.

Example of the Love of God

For example, I saw this happen one time with a man of whom no one thought much. Actually, the reaction wasn’t that passive. He was more disdained than simply discounted. In the Lord’s pursuit of him, God sent in someone to carry the presence of His Love. It was an anointing of Love to communicate the Father’s great passion. Almost as soon as this love immersed this man, many people began to engage him. Where before there’d be a sneer, now there was awareness and interest. Love could be smelled in the waters and the sharks came out to feed. Many came seeking him, probably not even knowing why.

So does this mean everyone will respond lovingly? No, like with any shark feeding frenzy, the goal is consumption, so sensitivity is not at a premium. Some will hate you, believing there’s been an injustice done to them. Others will just experience jealousy towards the one for whom the love is directed. It’s all very primal.

Warning About the Love Of God

So what’s the point of expressing all of this? As one who has received as well as given the love of God, I state this as a warning. It’s not like the sharks won’t circle when the love of God is present. This is a given! My warning would be: follow closely the direction of Love’s source. As with every post I’ve ever written, all of them presuppose utter and complete dependence upon God. I don’t know if I would’ve received or given this love in any different manner, but it would’ve been helpful to understand all the dynamics. It would’ve been nice to know I was treading in shark-infested waters.

Some of the frenzy is part of the anointing. The love of God is intended to make people hungry. God’s presence changes the atmosphere, and the high premium of love particularly affects the climate. If someone believes they’ve been short-changed in the love department, fury will result. The love of God, just like every other attribute of God, confronts and challenges.

His brothers of course noticed their father’s partiality, and consequently hated Joseph; they couldn’t say a kind word to him.
Genesis 37:4 TLB

* Above All, Love by Martha Kilpatrick is a testimony of God’s love revealing what it is like to both experience the love of God as a giver as well as the recipient.