THE COVENANT WAY OF LOVE
The expression of Love is the will of the Father. To know how to love the way of the Father is no easy task and it's important in our walk as believers. To love like the Father is to love unconditionally; to put all differences aside and lay your life for the other. it is not literarily PARR 1putting the knife to your neck but going all out to love. It is loving when convenient and not convenient. It is loving even when the person to whom to are showing it may not be totally deserving. However in the real sense, and before God, there is no one undeserving of love. For as long as God loves us in spite of our shortcomings, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:11 "Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another".
God himself loves all. Bible says he loved us while we were yet sinners. The same rain that falls on the righteous, He causes to fall on the unrighteous. Matthew 5:44-45 "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust".
What else is this Love?
This is Love regardless of denomination, race, ethnicity, colour, social class. God our Father did not choose to be God over the blacks or the whites. The Bible says He is the same God and Lord over all (Romans 10:12). He is not God over the rich but God over all humanity. This will humble you, He is not only God over man, also He is God over everything that creepeth, every bird that flieth and every fish in the sea.
Acts 17:24-25 "God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things".
This is Love so full of mercy. It is Love that showeth kindness, that envieth not, that is not jealous. It is Love even when you are offended and you are lawfully allowed to take offense. It is Love as Jesus Christ loved the harlot (John 8:10-12). It is Love as Jesus loved the Samaritan woman (John 4). It is Love as Jesus loved the daughter of the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:21-28). For as long as he shew her mercy that day, he had shown love to her. For as many that Jesus had mercy on and healed, they are proofs of what this Love is. Love and Mercy are two entities that go together. Ephesians 4:5 "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us"
Ever wonder what the world will be like if we all love? Love is the fulfilment of all laws. The scripture says in Matthew 22:40 paraphrased, "On the commandment of Love hang all the law and the prophets". Is there any law written in the scripture? For it to be fulfilled, Love must first be in place. It must stay rooted in love. If we must make God first place in all; As the scripture has said God is love (1John 4:7), then this means Love has no other place but the first place. Therefore, it will be wrong to Love after meting out punishment; it will be wrong to Love after destroying a life; it will be wrong to Love after stealing from the one whom you claim to love.
Lastly, it is very safe to say that there is no Christianity at all without Love. Without Love, all will be religion without meaning.
From the Priesthood desk
The Impact Team.... Building men and women of quality impact.
