GOD'S KIND OF LOVE
Matthew 5:43-45
" 'You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ' "
This seems like an impossible task – to love those who do me ill. And it is, if my only definition of love is warm fuzzy feelings. But God's kind of love – agape love – does not depend on feelings. It is a choice of the will to desire the best for someone. God demonstrates His love by blessing the ungodly just like He blesses the righteous, with sunshine and rain. Jesus modeled agape love when He prayed for the Father to forgive those who were crucifying Him. Jesus died for us while were still sinners (Romans 5:8). When we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son (vs. 10). I may not even like a person nor what they do, but as a child of God, I need to love them like He does. The best I can desire for someone is their eternal salvation.
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God's kind of love desires the best for people, and that best is the salvation of their souls.
[end]
Have a loving day. Love you – and I really do.
Matthew 5:43-45
" 'You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ' "
This seems like an impossible task – to love those who do me ill. And it is, if my only definition of love is warm fuzzy feelings. But God's kind of love – agape love – does not depend on feelings. It is a choice of the will to desire the best for someone. God demonstrates His love by blessing the ungodly just like He blesses the righteous, with sunshine and rain. Jesus modeled agape love when He prayed for the Father to forgive those who were crucifying Him. Jesus died for us while were still sinners (Romans 5:8). When we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son (vs. 10). I may not even like a person nor what they do, but as a child of God, I need to love them like He does. The best I can desire for someone is their eternal salvation.
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God's kind of love desires the best for people, and that best is the salvation of their souls.
[end]
Have a loving day. Love you – and I really do.
No comments:
Post a Comment