Romans 5:8 “But GOD shows HIS love for us in that while we were still sinners, CHRIST died for us.”
Truest Love’s Reflection!
We can give without love but not love without giving…since drawn through HIS WORD we are shown righteous living.
Reflecting HIS work which though finished keeps sharing…so too we push through…HIS compassion outpouring.
Thus Love’s greatest message requires surrender to all of our thoughts… so HIS ways we remember.
WHOSE paths include caring without an exception but also bring Justice, correction and fairness.
So let “GOD’s Love defined” be according to Scripture which molds us more daily into HIS own image.
As HIServant compelled by HIS definitions in Love,
Whitney
Devotional: Ephesians 4:11-16 “11 And HE HIMSELF gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of CHRIST,
13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of GOD, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of CHRIST;
14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head — CHRIST —
16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies,
according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
In marriage, True Love requires Self sacrifice.
To daily draw closer to CHRIST requires the same and the removal of the old.
And being Flesh as we are, the “old man” within us fails often.
The Flesh draws us backwards to comfort zones of lukewarm temperature and personal definitions, doesn’t it?
1 Corinthians 13:13 “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
But if we just pull out this verse to quote, then we are pulling it out of context.
There’s clearly tough love and sacrificial love. These are equally true to any comfortable example of love.
Both are needed.
There is correction in love and great care when someone is “sat down” to think about their actions.
Speaking most of all about myself while looking back, I’m eternally grateful for every painful reset HE applied to my life.
I’m thankful every time someone “sat me down” to point out that my definition of loving like JESUS — wasn’t.
Proverbs 27:6 “Faithful are the wounds of a friend [who corrects out of love and concern], But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful [because they serve his hidden agenda].”
But we MUST have a discerning spirit to know the difference.
It’s important then to give the Holy SPIRIT free reign as HE moves lovingly in us AND…in others.
If GOD is bringing true love’s correction, adjustment, alteration and realignment through the words of another, then we cannot interfere.
We’re not to diminish GOD’s work in others or in ourselves just to suit our comfort meters.
Lastly this hour we live in is chaotic. Much direction is needed both for the Lost AND the Found.
So as true lovers of CHRIST we must bind up others wounds, pray diligently for them to speak and show the Truth in love!
So press in even through HIS sovereign discomforting times on the Potter’s Wheel.
Then humbly stay the course and serve relentlessly!
Amen and amen!
2CJC 