We can only learn to love like God when we allow Him to mold us through the power of His Word.
This is how we love like God:
“Love suffers long and is kind, love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek it’s own …love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Lord, You are mighty. You are good. You are love — pure love, everlasting love, love that never fails. Help me walk in — live-out — Your love.
At all times.
Especially in the ugly places and especially when no one is looking.
That’s when it really counts, isn’t it? That’s when it bears fruit, because that kind of love is of You and certainly not of ourselves.
Loving others with Your love really is possible, but only if we are fully devoted to You, fully yielded to Your hand. You are the Potter, we are the clay. You are the Refiner’s Fire. We are the molten silver longing to be refined. It takes submission of our will that we might be more like You in all things.
We don’t like that part.
Thank You for Your example of love and for showing us what love is capable of when we yield to Your instruction.
We are called to love like God.
Your love does not envy.
It keeps no record of wrong.
It’s not arrogant and boastful.
Your love endures all things, bears all things, believes all things.
Your love never fails …
But ours sure does.
Our love fails often because our foolish pride gets in the way. Selfishness that we think has long been gone creeps out from a dark corner of our heart. Suddenly, we are face to face with our own flesh that wants its own way and our spirit becomes washed in rudeness and ugliness of heart.
It’s awful, Lord.
Like Paul, the things we want to do — we don’t do, and things we don’t want to do — we do.
Our love fails often.
Forgive us of our selfish ways that insist on being right. Forgive us for the things we do often for the sake of self-preservation with little regard to the fact that we are Your witness in this world and our behavior/attitudes reflect You to those who have never experienced Your love.
Make us mindful of these things, Lord. How terrible it is to misrepresent You, for Your love is amazing.
It lifts us from the deepest pit.
It restores peace.
It repairs the broken places.
Draw us to Your Word where the renewing of our mind occurs. Bring our thoughts — those ugly, impure thoughts — captive to You where You can wash them clean and apply Your redemptive power.
I want to be like Jesus.
We cannot love like you in our own strength — it’s impossible. But, as You change us from glory to glory to be more like You, it is possible.
It is very possible.
That’s what we desire, Lord.
Remind us often of Your love so that in the reminding we reach to obtain that fruit of the Spirit — Your love.
The seed is within us.
Thank You for that promise. We love you!
In Jesus’ Name I pray,
Amen
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Please don’t carry your burdens alone. I would be honored to pray for you.
You may contact me directly at nan@nanjones.com
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Thank you so much for stopping by. I would love for you to share what’s on your heart in the comments below. Scroll a little farther down and you’ll see where you can leave your comments. Together, we can find the nearness of God in our darkest moments.
Sweet blessings to you,
