I wish to encourage you to Pursue love… (1Co 14:1). As the apostle Paul exhorted the Corinthians, …faith, hope, and love abide… but the greatest of these is love (1Co 13:13). I was reminded today by my good friends Kevin and Cheryl Bartlett of the simplicity of stepping momentarily into someone else’s life and dispensing a few minutes of genuine, unassuming love on behalf of Christ.
You see, God’s love is applicable to every relationship you will ever encounter. While there are various characteristics and expressions of love, we can rest assured that …God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (Rom 5:5), equipping us to administer His love.
As believers in Christ, it’s important to develop the discipline of daily giving thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love (which) endures forever (Psa 136:2). It’s important to keep yourselves in God’s love… waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life (Jude 1:21). While we wait for the Lord, pray that the Lord will predetermine the events of every day, allowing you specific opportunities to invest His love into someone else.
For the love of Christ controls us… (2Co 5:14) compelling us as ambassadors for Christ (2Co 5:20) in using our lives as instruments expressing His love:
– To pray for your enemies
– To comfort those in distress
– To forgive those who offend you
– To strengthen those feeling weak
– To correct those walking into sinful behaviour
– To uplift and encourage those struggling in weakened faith
– For those mourning a loss or enduring the inevitable certainty of losing someone precious
– For your spouse, your child, your parents, your siblings
– For a lost world
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honour. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honourable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (Rom 12:9-21).
Simply speak well of our Saviour tomorrow beloved.