Over and over again I seem to be learning a different dimension of lessons on love. It seems it's been a theme that the Lord has been working on me with for over a decade now. Perhaps because love is so complicated and demands much more of ourselves than we often want to give...or perhaps because a life of studying who God really is will be centered in learning what His love really looks like lived out because God is love. (1 John 4:16).
I was reading in Revelation yesterday morning and was so challenged by this: " But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first." Rev 2:4.
It is so easy to start off strong. First thing in the morning we are refreshed ready to tackle the day...first day of a new job, first day of the school year...and on and on. Loving people. Loving the lost. Loving the family of God. Always easy......at first. But then what? Often....we have unmet expectations. Sometimes in our minds we expect certain things, be it results based on our contributions to various people causes or events...or behavior changes in the lives of those we invest in...or maybe even sometimes we just simply expect the same loving attitude in return.
I was reading through Revelation and it's interesting as the Lord was commending the churches...suddenly He says, "but...I have this against you...that you abandoned the love you had at first.."
There's a song, by Addison Road and one of the lines goes like this, "If everything comes down to love...then just what am I afraid of."
I think if I'm honest....because of Christ in me, it can be very easy to extend love towards others especially when my heart is focused on the Lord, on doing what He wants...on pleasing Him....and because I know the depths of my own sin...I was there. I know how I've sinned against the Lord...and so there is this overwhelming gratitude to Christ for His forgiveness, because it is 'much' in my life..
"Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” Luke 7:47
How can I not love out of the overflow of what the Lord has done for me? Honestly...this is what we should ask ourselves when we feel we are in a position where we simply can not extend the love that we are biblically called to extend.
But what happens...judgement creeps in, fear of man creeps in, self-righteousness creeps in...comparision creeps in...all sorts of behaviors and attitudes creep into our minds and battle for our hearts to follow after them rather than after the Lord we love so.
We become afraid...if I love too much will people think I'm weird? If I extend love to her...will others reject me too? Perhaps....those thoughts may be true...people might judge you, they may shun you...but I know based on Scripture that the Lord Himself will never leave you and you will never be able to out-love God. His love for us is life changing.
Could you imagine the impact the church would have it we would come together in love? Honestly...if the body of Christ...not just Baptists or Lutherans or Community Churches...but if the true body of Christ would lay aside doctrinal strife...and come together in love and unity and love on a lost world?
Sweet sojourner, "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8
I encourage you to faithfully ask the Lord to increase and overflow His love in your heart for His glory. Let's impact our world by oozing the love of the One who loves us without limit.
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