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Thoughts for a Woman's Heart |
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encouragement in things that matter |
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I Love Him. I Love Him. I Love Him!!
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Do you remember as a young girl when your heart pounded with infatuation, you would expectantly pluck the petals of a daisy and recite, "He loves me. He loves me not. He loves me. He ..."? The final petal brought exuberant shouts of "He loves me!" or, it brought the sullen news of unrequited love. The daisy theme was picked up by enterprising Christians to depict on T-shirts, mugs, and Bible covers, the unfailing love of God. The recitation though became, "He loves me. He loves me. He loves me. He ..." Unfailing love! Consistent love! Love in all of its perfections. Bestowed on me – His child, and His delight. But, there is still another daisy to pluck, and I must look deeply within myself to find the words I will recite. This daisy will reveal the love I have, or, do not have, for the One who loves me with all the intensity of His extraordinary love. What will my recitation be? "I love Him. I love Him not. I love Him. I ..."
The thirteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians is often called "The Love Chapter." It describes the love that is characteristic of God Himself – a love God wants us to imitate as we fulfill the two most basic commands He gives us. The foremost command is to love God; the second is to love others. Understanding how to love God from this chapter is best found in discovering the principles behind the words that are given. The truth that emerges from the first three verses when I consider my relationship with God, is that my love for God is of greater value than what I do for Him or what I present to Him as gifts or talents. In approaching verses 4 - 6 to find applicable understanding of my love for God, I see God being the central focus of my love and not self. The "self" sins will distort and detract from my love for God; therefore, I must guard against such things as impatience, jealousy, arrogance, rudeness, or boasting. There is no room for these in the Christ-centered life. Before becoming a lover of Jesus Christ, Paul had a list of credentials that could give him much cause for boasting, but all that was set aside when he began pursuing Jesus.
God’s greatest desire is that I would love Him with a love that has a singular, solitary focus. There are two remaining principles in 1 Corinthians 13, and they are both found behind the words of verses 7 and 8. Love never quits in its pursuit of the One who is loved, and the life it lives out gives evidence of the faith that gave birth to love. Faith, love, and obedience are not separate entities from which we may pick and choose, but they are to be woven together to characterize the believer’s relationship with the Father and with the Son, even as the book of 1 John clearly teaches us. Ask God to help you fall in love with Him more deeply, more profusely, more radiantly. Commit to pursuing and embracing this One who already loves you with His extraordinary love.
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— Bev |
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