LOVE: THE GREAT ADVENTURE

 

He that loves not knows not God; for God is love.     1Jo 4:8

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him.   1Jo 4:16

A new commandment I give unto you, That you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.    [Jesus] Jhn 15:12

This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you.     [Jesus]  Jhn 15:12

These things I command you, that you love one another.     [Jesus] Jhn 15:17

Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loves another has fulfilled the law.

Rom 13:8

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."    [Jesus] Luk 10:27

"But I say to you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.    [Jesus] Luk 6:27-28

 

The greatest adventure available to humans is to practice the love of Christ.  Love, as the Bible describes it, is a conscious and pro-active endeavor.  It must be chosen, over and again, on a daily basis. If we are failing to do this, and if we are not getting better at it on a daily basis, we are failing in the most important aspect of life. Practicing love, as Christ has demonstrated and God has commanded, is the most important endeavor of life.  And it is fresh and new each day. If we say that we are Christians, and we are not practicing Love as a conscious endeavor, we are deceiving ourselves.  I encourage you to pray, now and on a regular basis, “Lord, how am I doing at loving those in my sphere of influence?”  And be sure to wait for a response. If you are not doing it perfectly, don’t despair:  None of us are. But if you are not improving, you should be very concerned about your walk. There should be nothing anyone could do that would cause you to stop loving them [see Luk 6:27-28 above].  This does not mean that you have to agree with them, like them, submit to their abuse, or even be around them. But it does mean that you should forgive them, pray for them, not hold a grudge against them, and maintain good will toward them. [This keeps your heart free, soft and open.]  According to the Word, when you go shopping, the most important accomplishment is not to make your purchase; it is to love the cashier, sales clerk, or others that you encounter. Making a purchase is temporal and may have no eternal significance.  Loving people sows seeds into their lives, bearing fruit that has eternal significance. When we practice love in this way, we brighten up the world. We become encouragers and life-enhancers. We fulfill our God-ordained purpose in life. And we discover Joy and Peace—the promises of Christ for those who walk in His Love. Can you think of anything that is more important than this wonderful endeavor?

 

Lord, thank You so much for showing us the Way of life and truth—the Way that leads to peace and joy. Please help us to love. Fill our hearts with love. Deliver us from worthless distractions that will give us no peace and have no eternal significance. May our hearts be an open and willing channel through which Your Love can flow into the human family. May Your will be done on earth, as in heaven.