L – love
So much is said in Scripture about love. Way too many scriptures to list. I am not an expert on love, nor do I claim to know how to love perfectly. But, I do believe from what I can find, God puts a high value on us understanding love and seeking His perfect love for one another.
Matthew 5:44 “But I say to you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
Luke 6:27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.”
Luke 10:27 “And he answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.'”
I Peter 3:8 “Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.”
Romans 12:10 “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. ”
Those are some pretty hefty commands. Love is praying for those who persecute you, doing good to those who hate you, loving them as yourself, having a unity of mind, sympathy, tender heart, and humility. I am at a loss for commentary.
And now the doozy that is used in most marriage ceremonies:
I Corinthians 13:4-7 “Love is patient, love is kind, love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
I remember a day when I was getting a massage for an injured back. I couldn't figure out why it wouldn't heal. I tried Advil, massage, rest … nothing was working. As I was getting the message, the girl said, “Stop thinking about all the stuff that is going wrong.” But, my mind kept going to an incident that bothered me. I told God, “I just want answers from this person! I deserve answers.” God said in the soft, gentle voice (love) – “Jill, total forgiveness means they owe you nothing.” I realized that means never needing an explanation. That is what Jesus did when He forgave my sins. He said I owe nothing for my sin. Forgiveness is freedom from debt. In God's economy, there isn't fair trade.
I choose to let it go that day, I never had to go back for another back treatment and my heart is the pursuit of the One who loves me perfectly and can teach me how to love.
