How many messages have I heard, books have I read, conversations have I had regarding LOVING OTHERS?!?...Alot! I am asking the Lord to work in my heart in this specific area. How can I LOVE others... my husband, my son, our families, friends, church, and work friends? Chris (one of our pastors) said that LOVING God and LOVING others cannot be separated!! This is so true... This is where the rubber meets the road...
I know that I was immediately reminded during todays message of a beautiful example of LOVING OTHERS...
My caregroup... The Carey caregroup lavished LOVE on Ray and I right after Barrett was born. It was amazing to see a such a small group of people pour out so much sweet LOVE on us! And, the thing that mostly blew me away was that most of the people in the group didn't know us well at all. I received calls everyday from someone from the group asking if they could bring dinner, come visit, do laundry, hold the baby while I got a shower, keep me company once my mom left, etc, etc. I was so humbled by their beautiful example of pouring out the LOVE of Jesus on us! I know that the desire of my heart is to be like this!
We were also challenged this week as an unexpected guest showed up at our house... The Lord worked in all (our whole family) hearts to LOVE and accept this person, knowing that God is sovereign and faithful to His children. Ray even had the opportunity to share his testimony! God is always at work in our hearts to sanctify us and bring us into a deeper relationship with Him. So thankful for His constant patience with us we walk this journey... learning to LOVE unconditionally as "Christ LOVED us and gave Himself up for us."
God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we're free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ's. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.
We, though, are going to love—love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first.
If anyone boasts, "I love God," and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won't love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can't see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both.
1 john 4:16-21 (message)
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