Bebo

Anna Dynowski <AnnaDynowski>

	Love Is...	77 dni temu
	“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrong.” I Corinthians 13:4-5 (NIV) I checked the thesaurus for the definition of the word love? It lists these words: affection, adoration, friendship, tenderness, fondness, devotion, passion, ardour. While all of these are true, I couldn’t help thinking they somehow fell short, didn’t quite reveal it to its fullest extent. Something was…lacking. The Bible explains love as being patient and kind, not envious or boastful or proud or rude or self-seeking or easily angered or keeping a record of wrongs done against us, but says love is…a decision and a commitment to put others first. God put us first. When our forefather Adam and his wife Eve sinned and were expelled from the Garden of Eden and we, their ancestors, inherited their sin and thus deserved an eternity in hell because we are sinners, too, God put us first. He made a decision and a commitment to provide a plan for our salvation—His Son, Jesus—so that we can receive what we do not deserve—a new, full life here on earth and an eternity in heaven. Jesus put us first. When we could not pay the price for our sins that a Holy and Righteous God demanded, Jesus put us first. He made a decision and a commitment to set aside His privileges and rights and leave the glory of heaven and provide Himself as the Sacrificial Lamb, to bear our sins on His shoulders, and pay the price on our behalf by dying on the cross so that we can experience life in Him now and enjoy the glory of heaven as His co-heirs later. Love is…a decision and a commitment to put others first, even when it hurts, isn’t convenient, or we simply don’t want to. The world system says, Me first. God’s system says, Others first. I have to admit…it isn’t easy to look at love in this way. I mean, if people are nice to me, sure, I am nice to them, also. They respect me, I respect them. They do for me, I do for them. No problem there. But, what if…they’re not so nice to me…ignore me…don’t care about me…hate me…hurt me…spread rumors about me? Lo-o-o-o-ord! You can’t possibly mean I have to show them love, do You? Yes! Loving the loveable is easy. Loving the rest…is more demanding. Jesus’ own example of love—selfless, self-giving, self-sacrificing—is what we need to make a decision about and a commitment to…imitate. It won’t be easy. Sometimes, even putting the needs of our family members first won’t be easy or convenient. But, if we allow the Holy Spirit to grow in us the kind of love Jesus showed us, we will be able to be a gracious servant to our friends and family members and reach out with grace to difficult people. Are you willing to let God express His love through you to all the people who cross your path today? Let’s try. God Bless! Love & Prayers, Anna
	opublikowane przez Anna Dynowski