Thought for Wednesday, July 25th

July 25, 2012

You Must Love Lavishly

As a child of God there is no doubt that you are loved.  This is a fact that is not questionable.

But the question then becomes do we truly understand the full dimension of what that love means and do we allow that love to effect who we are and what we do to the fullest stretch of its potential?

Have you ever stopped to wonder why it seems so difficult for us to love our neighbors (brothers or sisters) as ourselves?

Could it be that we have never fully embraced the truth of who we are in Christ and how special we are to Him.

It is my conjecture that we have difficulty loving others to the extent that we should because we often fail to love ourselves in the manner God wants us too.

This of course is not a love based in arrogance or ego, but rather a love based in dependency and submissiveness to God.

If we could learn to see ourselves in Christ; and the potential that we have through His presence in our lives; our potential would be limitless and without reservation.

True love requires us to be honest with ourselves and with others; it requires that we be reflective and introspective; and it requires us to put others needs before our own, just the way that Jesus did.

“You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have really lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.”

-       Henry Drummond

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

 John 15:13

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Matthew 22:36-40

If we could learn to love ourselves and others as lavishly as Jesus and God the Father love us; we would without doubt be able to change the world.

Today’s Prayer

Father, limitless love is mine to receive and yours to give: but it is also mine to give because I have so freely received it.  Thank you for your love.

“When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart
I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus “

-  Lyrics from ‘Heart of Worship’ by Matt Redman