Love Is a Choice You Make.
“Love one another; as I have loved you.” John 13:34 NKJV.
My thoughts and comments today are that, “Love is for sharing.”
At times, love can be challenging for any of us. The Bible would not command us to love if love was not possible for us. Love is not a feeling you have; love is a choice you make. Can anyone learn to love? Most certainly, God’s answer is yes. God set the precedent when He loved you and me – and such love was extended to the whole world. “God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” Romans 5:8 NIV. Real love is always sacrificial.
Jesus was clear about His mission. “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10 NKJV. Abundant life now! Everlasting life forever! “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NKJV. How long has it been since you gratefully reflected on those glorious, foundational, and liberating truths?
About love, Jesus’ commandment was clear. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” John 13:34 NKJV. Notice that those words are not a suggestion or a lofty goal beyond your ability to accomplish. How is such love possible? When you experience God’s love, you are changed from the inside out. The ongoing conformation to love others as Jesus loved you is the surest evidence of spiritual transformation. Obedience supplies ability.
Is that easy all the time? Definitely not! But would God ever ask you to do something you are incapable of doing without providing His example to guide you and His Holy Spirit to empower you to do so?
Love is meant to be shared, not stored until a special occasion. And love is not earned; love is best when freely given. I think the foundation for love is Jesus’ reasonable admonition: “Freely you have received; freely give.” Matthew 10:8 NIV. If ever you have experienced God’s love through Christ by the power of the Spirit, you are capable of profound love. The followers of Jesus marveled at the news of Saul’s conversion was described this way, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.” Galatians 1:23 NKJV. Read Acts 27:1-37. The love of God changed a persecutor into a preacher of grace.
Love inspires and instills passion. Passionately, Paul prayed, “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Philippians 3:10 NKJV. Paul longed to know Christ, whatever the sacrifice and suffering required. Notice the multilayered component to an empowered life. (1) the power of His Resurrection, and (2) personal identification with Christ’s sufferings,and (3) embracing the life-changing conformation of Jesus’ selfless surrender. There are no shortcuts.
Today, I pray for you to know that God’s love is always transforming.
Christian Communications 2019
Website and archives: allenrandolph.com