Divine devotional: season 1: episode 2: agape love

Last thursday we looked briefly at the different types of love, where i invited you to meditate on the words and the scripture reference. Now, we will explore each type of love, one by one, week by week. 

The first type of love I want to explore with you is Agape love: 

Agape love is Self-Sacrificing, Divine Love.

Greek: Agápē (ἀγάπη)

Closest Hebrew idea: אַהֲבָה — Ahavah (general love, but often used covenantally when describing God)

 This is the highest form of love: unconditional, volitional, not based on emotion.

Key Scriptures:

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

— Epistle to the Romans 5:8

“God is love.”

— First Epistle of John 4:8

Now, what does ‘’God is love’’ mean in this context? 

It means: 

Love that gives without requiring return. The love that chooses, even at cost.

 Many theologians call this the love of the Cross.

Looking to the cross, we see agape love in full bloom at work here. Christ sacrificed Himself, once for all, even for those who would not believe. 

Are we called to Agape love ourselves? 

Well…yes, the bible is clear on this very thing. 

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

John 13:34

We arent to just receive agape love, or reserve for God alone, but to live and walk in Agape love. 

As we can see Christ set the standard of agape love in His own sacrifice as an example and commands us to do the same: 

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Gospel of John 15:13

Not just literal martyrdom per se, but also in practical daily life, such as self-denial, serving behind the scenes, staying when leaving seems easier, and faithfulness in covenant. 

*A note: this does not condone staying in or tolerating abusive relationships of any kind, as Jesus Himself withdrew from hostile crowds. Agape love is self-sacrificial, NOT self-destructive. 

Last thoughts, agape love invites us UPWARD, to love in a way that is beyond normal human capacity as our natures are more inclined to be selfish. Being Born again Christians, indwelled by the Holy Spirit of God, we are given new natures and enabled by His Spriit to love as He does. 

So let us go forward in not only receiving His love and being loved well, but in loving others well also. Some practical ways you can show agape love in your day-to-day this week: 

Choosing patience over, reacting 

Practice costly kindness (bring a meal, check in on someone forgotten, offer childcare etc) 

Forgive even if the apology is weak or missing 

Give without needing recognition 

Tell the truth GENTLY 

Love the difficult people

Stay even when it's hard (after a funeral, during a depression moment, through a long recovery)

Remember also to not pour from an empty cup, but spend time alone with God this week also to be able to pour out His love to others.

Next thursday we look at Philieo love. Stay tuned! 

Closing Scripture: 

“Be imitators of God… and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us.”

Ephesians 5:1–2

His chosen vineyard part 1: the greater the offense the greater we rise above

“This collection confronts systems, sin, and spiritual forces—not people groups.”

1 Corinthians 1:10

King James Version

 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

© 2026 Telle wild rose “His chosen vineyard.” 

All rights reserved.

Part 1:

The greater the offense, the greater will we rise above.

How further must I be from God to be acceptable to the system?

Its hatred has brought me here.

How much brighter must my light shine to be incomprehensible? 

The higher the calling, the greater the hatred. 

How much must my people endure till we be restored?

Feels like we’re hanging on by a thread.

How much sorrow must I show to prove I have a soul? 

Only my Savior, the Messiah, can save me.  

Stubborn

Strong

Resiliant

Shall never falter

When will the hatred from all nations and our ostracism end? 

When my people called by God's name, we would humble ourselves and cry out to the only Savior, and not a moment sooner. 

When shall we be restored? 

My ancestors were a God-fearing people, a royal priesthood, and yet even the natural branches the jews were cast off, yet they will be grafted back in again, and like them we can be grafted in again also.

When will praise for Yahweh pass our lips again? 

Our souls ache, our spirit cries forth to our Savior, and our bodies groan for the redemption of our flesh also. 

When will it be okay to be accepted as Gentiles among the jews?

When our own bigotry stops, when we recognize God loves all, and our love reflects His to the jew first, then to the Gentiles. 

When will my people be allowed to heal within and without?

I see the deconstruction of black family unity, values, manhood, womanhood, and stolen childhood. The enemy is after the seed of the woman. 

400 years of enduring, surely an end is in sight?

What if we returned to the ways of Yahweh, His law of love as He commands? 

The greatest of them all such be as to love our God, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. And who be our neighbor, such as our brethren of the calling, the stranger among us, and even showing love to our enemies. 

When will my people lay down pride and see He made both Jews and Gentiles? Man and woman? Nation and nation?  

The moon doesn't cry about the daylight, nor the sun that shines in it, for she has her own light and place of domain. Nor does the sun boast of being a greater light, nor first called, they both rule and are equal.

Theme: restoration, endurance, calling.

Scripture:

 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” — Romans 8:28 (KJV)

Black History Voice:

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” — Frederick Douglass

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His Chosen vineyard: black history month collection of poems

 

Title: His chosen vineyard

author: telle wild rose

date: 2/25/26 

publisher: telle wild rose publications 

price; free

read here on this blog or on wattpad

Mainly a collection exploring many experiences of blackness but also addressing a corrupt system and how to heal. 

the pursuit of you part 8: final part: i welcome the garden

 

I welcome the garden.

I welcome her flaws, for to me they are not flaws at all, 

But testimony written on her skin, that tells God’s story through her,

I am honored that I get to be the one to call her, Wife.

And i her husband, forever we will share our life. 

She is a sister in spirit, a spouse of soul, 

I cry out praise to my Father for this gentle soul,

She's been through much, been healed of much more,

She did not come to me half and broken, but sure and whole.

In only the way God could have put her back together again,

Better than before, with molten gold filling the cracks,

Taking trauma and creating something more beautiful than before,

Her latter days are better than her former days. 

And I, with open arms, welcome the garden of her life.

I am not ashamed of her story, where she's been, who she was,

And am proud of who she is now, and what God wrought through her,

Inhale the sweet-smelling aroma of her spirit, and exhale a praise to God. 

Isaiah 61:3 (KJV)
“To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes…”

Joel 2:25 (ESV)
“I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten…”

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the scars of her life tells her beautiful story

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the pursuit of you part 7: the beloved

 

The beloved 

The beloved is black and kissed thrice by the sun, 

Life has colored her beautifully,

But not a thing of shame to cause me to run,

But an art piece, a thing of beauty.

My spirit recognized hers first, before I ever saw the physical,

My heart sang to hers, before we ever exchanged hello’s and how do you do’s. 

She is beautiful and lovely because she belongs to the King, mystical.

She's more than I imagined for myself, better, as always, when leaving the Potter to choose.

I see kindness in her eyes,

I can fully trust my heart with her, 

I see many mornings, and a wonderful, safe sunrise, 

A life mate, a help meet, lifelong, always, beside her. 

She is mine….the beloved.

Song of Solomon 1:5 (KJV)
“I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem…”

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 (ESV)
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude… it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

*****

the beloved is dear to your heart, and there shall she stay.

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the pursuit of you part 6: their eyes were watching God

 

Their eyes were watching God.

A meeting of souls, heaven-appointed,

This was divinely ordained, before the stars were born,

God wrote this song into the heavens.

To be a beacon pointing to the true marriage of Christ and HIS bride. 

This is not pride, but joy; this is not arrogance, but a humble reminder, 

Every good gift comes from above,

Every blessing and grace shown is to point us to the one on the throne. 

In the natural, a man and woman become one,

Freely of their own doing, the maker's handiwork,

They sing up high praises together,

for, in the spirit, their eyes were watching God.

James 1:17 (ESV)
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights…”

Ephesians 5:31–32 (KJV)
“For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife… This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.”

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may we always keep our eyes on our Maker, and grow in understanding of the great mystery in the age to come.

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the pursuit of you part 5: His eyes beheld the beauty of spirit

 

His eyes beheld the beauty of the spirit. 

I've never seen a spirit shine as her.

Like the littlest star shines the brightest in the night sky.

I'm lost in her stare, so much so that my eyes blur,

But I never lose the image, my reason why.

I love her for her fiery spirit that burns.

The one who endured when the world tried to crush her,

I don't hesitate to touch her soul, my heart yearns,

I watch as she prays before the king, bearing all of herself.

And I saw through the eyes of heaven, 

Not with the eyes of man, 

The confidence of a humble woman,

In her presence, only a man worthy and rooted in Christ can stand. 

Favor does not chase; it attracts. 

And I am drawn to her orbit, 

She is grounded by the rock, 

And I stand steady beside her. 

I would never dim her shine, 

My light will be right there next to hers,

Together we advance the Kingdom of heaven,

Our King has spoken. 

1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)
“For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

Proverbs 18:22 (KJV)
“Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.”

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may we look with spiritual eyes to truly see the beauty of a fellow image bearer.

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the pursuit of you part 4: shes all heart and a soul full of roses

 

She’s all heart and a soul full of roses.

She comes in the room like a whirlwind, 

Commanding the place like a storm,

A storm I wish to be weathered next to in the end,

The earth quakes beneath her praise, perfect form.

Carefully crafted by the potter's hands,

Wonderfully and fearfully made of roses and in control.

She's got heart even in the midst of sinking sands; she stands,

She's more than body, she's heart, heat, fire, and soul.

Psalm 139:14 (ESV)
“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”

Isaiah 64:8 (KJV)
“But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.”

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She's more than a body, shes heart, heat, fire and soul <3

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the pursuit of you part 3: she shall be called woman

 

She shall be called a woman

My breath caught when she stepped into the room, wedding gown filling the space,

I had no words, and my heart began to race.

Heart pounding in my chest,

I am undone, yet anchored in her care.

She's bold and big in personality and beautiful of spirit; none can compare.

From the stride of grace when she walks, to the joy in her laughter.

She is unafraid and unapologetically herself,

I'd never ask her to change, like so many do, and lose themselves.

But you see, she is much more than just a vision to see,

She's a God-fearing woman, a precious soul to seek.

Her scars do not hinder me,

They simply tell her beautiful story.

She is unhidden where the world demands performance.

She follows a rhythm of truth, and I am changed by it.

She walked in, and I knew a storm was coming,

From henceforth, she shall be called…woman. My wife.

Genesis 2:23 (KJV)
“And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman…”

Proverbs 31:30 (ESV)
“Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”

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the awe of man to see woman

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the pursuit of you part 2: if you told me to wait again i would

 

If you told me to wait again, I would

Lord, I've cried and cried, barely holding onto patience,

For a bride of my own, one to love, to cherish, and to hold,

Finally ive found her whom my heart loves under your guidance, I've obeyed and followed your direction, done all I was told. 

Years have I waited, searched, but could not find,

A woman worth more than rubies, and gold, and silver that does not last.

A woman, my heart would be safe in her hands, and hers in mine.

Till the day you brought her to me, and I had a companion all of my own at last.

But Lord, if it were all gone tomorrow,

Praise would still be yours, with all I could, 

Your plans for me are good, so I would not weep for sorrow, 

But worship on my lips, if you told me to wait again, I would.

Lamentations 3:25 (ESV)
“The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.”

Psalm 37:7 (KJV)
“Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way…”

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sometimes the bravest thing is to surrender all to God and trust the Creator above our own desires

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