DaySpring Daily Word of Inspiration: 1 Corinthians 13:6-7 – Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
When we think about love we think of the emotional state of love. Many times we think of the ACT of love moreover than the actions that are interpreted as love. True love doesn’t fail us; this is exampled perfectly for us by God himself. We mess up, he still loves us. We stop listening to him, he still loves us. We run in the opposite direction of him, but he still loves us. God’s actions of love even went far beyond what many of us would consider doing for any other person – unless you truly loved them.
In regards to God, our love for him would suggest we love his total nature. Everything about him is fascinating to us and we even pick up some of his own traits. We eagerly search out his truth and stay away from that which we know is wrong. We embrace his name, apologetically defend our faith, put our hope and trust in him and when things get rocky, we stick it out with him. You may say, “Well that’s God and I do that already”. Ok, good! So let’s look at God’s people now.
In regards to God’s people, our love should look identical. There is a small twist that we must put in the forefront, but it leads into experiencing and displaying a God-like love. The twist is obvious – it is our sin! The reality is we all have it, the hard part is looking past each other’s sin and looking at the heart for Christ each one is trying to develop – it’s a fascinating experience (if you’re genuinely trying to do so). We shouldn’t be focused on trying to nitpick at the failures someone has, when we’ll all have them. Love would look at those defeats and desire to help to guard our brothers and sisters against further defeats. Love would show a person they have someone they can trust in who is going to take this spiritual journey with them; all the way to the end of time! In addition to that, true love wouldn’t sit by and let someone knowingly continue in their life of sin. Love would help to get them up and out of it. Our love for one another shows if we’re always thinking about loving people as God loved us.
God loves us so much that he loves us as we are, but loves us even more to not let us stay as we are. He wants us better, more mature, wiser, stronger, and more like him. However, we can never get to that place if we’re not ready to make this all-around committed journey with him and his people! As God continues to love us with provisions of protection, promises in trust, hope to be with him in heaven, and the longevity of eternity in Jesus Christ. It is our duty to showcase the same love to our brothers and sisters in Christ by loving them so much we are protecting them from and during spiritual warfare, helping them keep their trust, hope and faith rooted in Christ, and walking with them in all of life’s battles until Christ returns.
How much to do you love God? How much do you love his people? Now, do your actions show it, always? We pray today that you begin on a journey that doesn’t just have you as a regular attending church member but as an active, living and loving member of the body of Christ. Christ is love; is it in you? In Jesus’ name, AMEN!