The Greatest Love
I have been thinking about - abide and love - all week. For me, they are the foundation of successfully moving through this time in my life. As the transition process moves forward, I am beginning to see with greater clarity the areas I need to really concentrate on.
Today, God is talking to me about love. Not emotion or hormone driven love but love given on purpose by choice.
This is how much God loved the world: He gave His Son, He gave His one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in Him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.
John 3:16 Message
For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.
John 3:16 Amplified
The more I keep thinking about these verses and our ability to choose to love like God, I realize that I can only love like Him when His Word is at home and planted in me. Without knowing the Word of God, it is hard to imitate Him.
When I first got serious about living for Jesus, I would carry around 3x5 cards with scripture written on them. This way, I could pull them out during the day and read them (this was before smart phones). I could use them to help me stay mindful of God's presence and keep them first in my mind and my heart.
I've decided to write out John 3:16 and carry it around with me for awhile. I hope you will join me.
When we keep God's Word on our mind and we look at it throughout the day, it keeps our heart open to love others the way God has so greatly loved us. Jesus tells us in John 15:17 to love each other the way He has loved us.
In 1 Cor. 13:4-8 we find a detailed description of what this love looks like in action. Specifically, one part says that love does not insist on having its own way. That means when we choose to love someone, we decide that whatever they need or desire is more important to us than our own wishes. It is the choice to put them first in all things.
It also says that to love like God means we do not get offended or hold grudges. All we do - is love.
As always, this is easier said than done but it can be done and I for one am determined to press in and keep on reaching for this in my own life.
A love given by choice is the greatest love of all.
Heidirn
Today, God is talking to me about love. Not emotion or hormone driven love but love given on purpose by choice.
This is how much God loved the world: He gave His Son, He gave His one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in Him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.
John 3:16 Message
For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.
John 3:16 Amplified
The more I keep thinking about these verses and our ability to choose to love like God, I realize that I can only love like Him when His Word is at home and planted in me. Without knowing the Word of God, it is hard to imitate Him.
When I first got serious about living for Jesus, I would carry around 3x5 cards with scripture written on them. This way, I could pull them out during the day and read them (this was before smart phones). I could use them to help me stay mindful of God's presence and keep them first in my mind and my heart.
I've decided to write out John 3:16 and carry it around with me for awhile. I hope you will join me.
When we keep God's Word on our mind and we look at it throughout the day, it keeps our heart open to love others the way God has so greatly loved us. Jesus tells us in John 15:17 to love each other the way He has loved us.
In 1 Cor. 13:4-8 we find a detailed description of what this love looks like in action. Specifically, one part says that love does not insist on having its own way. That means when we choose to love someone, we decide that whatever they need or desire is more important to us than our own wishes. It is the choice to put them first in all things.
It also says that to love like God means we do not get offended or hold grudges. All we do - is love.
As always, this is easier said than done but it can be done and I for one am determined to press in and keep on reaching for this in my own life.
A love given by choice is the greatest love of all.
Heidirn
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