A young woman was speaking about her short-term missions trip today. She shared that there had been anxiety over going to a country to minister where she didn't speak the language. However, after being there for a short time ministering to the children she discovered that there really wasn't a language barrier, as "everyone speaks the language of love."
My attention was drawn to her comment, as love has been the subject bouncing around in my head and heart as of late.

Here and there people have made comments about how amazed they are by my love for my husband. They are not alone in feeling amazed. I am too! It is something of a wonder, isn't it?
Everything God has a hand in is a wonder, is amazing, and is all Him.
Believe me it is Him, not me. If my flesh had its own way, I wouldn't be sitting in a rehab keeping my husband company.
All of this is working because He keeps me close. I am yoked to Him and His yoke is so comfortable that it is easy to let Him do the leading. Discomfort only comes when I try to go my own way.
This Friday Ray comes home and I will need to be kept very close to my Papa's side. Many changes in routines will begin and priorities will be shifting for all of us!

As far as love itself goes, He is love. Everything else is a cheap imitation! Without Him my love has ulterior motives. They are there even when I can't find them. Those motives are most often the desire to be accepted and to receive love in return.
Once we realize how much He loves us, nothing else satisfies, nothing else comes close.
When I encountered the Love of God through Jesus I couldn't help but love Him back, just like the apostle John says in one of His letters; "We love Him, because He first loved us."
It is never the other way around. God's love is the motivator.
He's the One who demonstrated His love by allowing His Son to take the consequences of our sins upon Himself. He did this while we were far from Him, not even wanting to know Him.
Discovering this just blew me away!!
Then I found out that He says that I am "accepted in the Beloved!"
So my flesh's two biggest motivators are satisfied in Him! I am accepted and I am loved!!
As we grow in this love relationship with God His love becomes the motivating factor in our lives; in all our relationships.

Regarding all of us speaking the language of love, I would say it a little differently. I believe that we all crave to be loved and no love we receive apart from God's love truly satisfies. When we settle for less than the genuine we cheat ourselves. Sadly we often have erected walls of protection that end up hindering us from what we truly long to receive. I know I did and only by His grace did those walls come down so I was able to enjoy His love.
Children are generally freer to recognize and receive His love.
So let's all become like little children. After all in Matthew eighteen, verse three, Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven."
Love is the Rule and Ruler of that Kingdom!!