Keys to Growth - 8

.....let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God.  Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.  1 John 4:7

At the time Colin and I were married we were not walking closely with God but we chose 1 Corinthians 13 (commonly known as "the love chapter") to be read at our wedding.  That's what many people do.  The challenge is then to walk that out in life, through thick and thin.  Sometimes we succeed and sometimes we fail.

For Christians, love should be the hallmark of our lives. Not the romantic, ooey, gooey kind but the strong love that comes from God.  If we will allow Him, God will pour his love into our hearts.  I know that I need His love in me because my own love is flawed and weak and kind of like this picture of the word written on the seashore, easily washed away.

I love this letter of John because John wrote from his own revelation of the great love that God had for him.  Until we truly feel secure in love it is very difficult to love others.  The world is so hungry for love because we are made in the image of God whose very nature is love. We are made to be lovers - of God first and then of people.  The world has turned that hunger for love into something cheap and nasty, trying to fill the gap in the wrong way.  It's a love that is selfish and wants to receive for itself.

God's love on the other hand is all giving.  It's always there waiting for us to receive.  The difference his love makes to us is that it then causes us to want to love others, whether they love us or not.  We want them to experience the wonder and fulfillment of this love we have found.

You will notice that this verse says, "let us continue to love...".  We can only do that if our hearts are established in His love (Ephesians 3:17).  His love is strong and unchanging, the kind of love that the world is craving.  Having His love will help us to love the unkind, the unlovely and the unloving.  It will test us to the limit at times but as we continue to love, we show that we truly are children of God, with His nature manifesting through us. The kind that drew people to run to Jesus everywhere he went; the kind that resulted in changed lives, healed bodies and mended hearts.  This is our challenge today and everyday - to show that kind of love to our world, starting in our families, our churches and our communities - one person at a time. 

Prayer:  Father God,  I want to receive the fullness of your love so that I can show the world what true love really is, just as Jesus did.  Please fill me afresh and give me opportunities to show your love to others every day, and help me to remember that it won't always be easy.  Amen