We know it so well.
We've embraced it heart and soul
this love that comes from God.
God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us...
there is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life-- fear of death, fear of judgment-- is one not yet fully formed in love.
The command we have from Christ is blunt: loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both.
If we love the One who conceives the child, we'll surely love the child who was conceived.
[ from 1 John 4 & 5, the Message ]
"... they, too, have been created by the same loving hand of God, to love and be loved."
M. Teresa
How much more should we be loving each other? If we say we love God so, then it should show in our love for each other. No more bickering. No more back-stabbing. No more harsh words said in irritability or misunderstanding. No more unloving. Let's recreate and restore the beauty of true, deep love for each other. We literally are all the same-- I don't care who it is or how they act. They are a person, like you, like me. More than that:
they are His child.
And if we love Him who made the child, how much more should we love the child.
A couple weeks ago I went to a small group and heard some rich wisdom about this very subject. The word "ought" should stir something in us. Because something ought to be a certain way, it ought to make us do something about it. Loving is what we ought to be doing always. I get so frustrated at myself when I get frustrated at someone else without taking the time to try to see from their perspective, or learn their life and ask why they react the way they do, or give to them so they aren't wanting for so much and living in violent desperation, or open my home to them so they can shower and take care of themselves instead of getting annoyed at the stench of human waste.
Wwwwwwhhhhyyyyyyyyyy don't we love others like we love ourselves?!?
I know the answer. But it doesn't keep me from asking the question. Because we could be doing and loving so much more.
We must stay very close to Christ,
learn a life of selfless love
and overlook His precious children no more.
This is my heart's desire.
"God is in love with us and keeps giving Himself to the world-- through you, through me. May you continue to be the sunshine of His love to people & thus make your life something truly beautiful for God."
Until we have loved the unlovely
the Father's heart has never beat within us.
We are left here to love.
[Beth Moore]
1 comment:
When God gave me a ministry and called it to be built on love, i keep get the most testing and unique individuals. I asked my self why and selfishly tried to diffuse what i thought was a problem. Then Holy Spirit said He was bringing the unloved so we could know Christ's Love. I am so happy i keep them around because they have taught me so much and shown me that being genuine is way more important then trying to fit in. Thank you so much for writing i truly have been inspired and will continue to read when my computer isn't going to die. Continue to embrace the furious love that consumes you.
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