February 14
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 1 Cor 13:1-3 (KJV)
Love is in the air today no doubt, but there are still many who are hurting in their closet, walking the street aimlessly sake of this same “love”. Our theme says love “assumes the best” but is that usually the case? We have hurting people all around us and the common saying goes that “hurting people hurts others”. Why? You may ask. This is because they are either abused, cheated or even neglected by the same people they loved and cared for but was abused either in the process or when things turn the other way for them , so they hurt people around them in most cases unknowing.
Beloved, showing or sharing love, should it be seasonal or a day affair? The text for today did not typify that. As children of God the bible should be our standard, we should not love as the world do but rather our love should not only be daily but continual.
But someone is saying, the people around me is difficult and cannot be please. Never mind, allow God to love them through you by reminding God about them in your prayers and allowing the love of God to flow through you to them. Don’t worry how this will be, the Holy Spirit knows what to do. Don’t forget that God knows the intents of your heart, so let your love always assume the best at all time.
[Love] bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.—1 Corinthians 13:7
Love has no limits. Love never says, “You’ve gone too far. I can’t love you now.” “All things” means everything is included. Christlike love leaves no doubt in the mind of another that you will continue to love steadfastly. Do those close to you know that they can fail and do foolish things, yet you will not falter in your love for them? Are others assured that, even when they hurt you, you still love them, holding nothing against them?
Love assumes the best about others. If someone inadvertently offends you, you choose to believe the offense was unintentional. If someone seeks to harm you, you “bear all things,” forgiving unconditionally. If a positive light can be shed on a difficult encounter, you grasp it. If someone continually provokes you, you “endure all things.” You never lose hope in the ones you love. You practice the same unconditional love toward others that Christ gives to you.
Paul said that he was nothing if he had the faith to move mountains, the tongue of an angel, and the gift of prophecy to understand all mysteries, yet did not have God’s love. It is unacceptable to say, “Well, I just can’t love people that way!” When God loves people through you, this is the only kind of love He has! Read 1 Corinthians 13 with gratitude that God has already expressed this complete and selfless love to you.
Pray and ask Him to express it through you now, to others. That same love will bring you to the place of obedience to God and your fellows. Without the God kind of love, it will impossible to obey Him. In Jn 3:16, Christ was God’s only begotten son, but He let go of Him to reconcile us to Himself. So that you and I will not perish but enjoy eternity with Him.
Beloved, why we are yet sinners, He sent His son to died so that we will be saved from everlasting damnation. Are you willing to have that kind of God love which will require you to obey Him in all things, even when is hurting?
“The one who has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. And the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father. I also will love him and will reveal Myself to him.”—John 14:21
Obedience to God’s commands comes from your heart. When you begin struggling to obey God that is a clear indication that your heart has shifted away from Him. Some claim: “I love God, but I’m having difficulty obeying Him in certain areas of my life.” That is a spiritual impossibility. If I were to ask you, “Do you love God?” you might easily respond, “Yes!” However, if I were to ask you, “Are you obeying God?” would you answer yes as quickly?
Yet I would be asking you the same question! Genuine love for God leads to wholehearted obedience. If you told your spouse that you loved her at certain times but that you struggled to love her at others, your relationship would be in jeopardy. Yet we assume that God is satisfied with occasional love or partial obedience. He is not.
Obedience without love is legalism. Obedience for its own sake can be nothing more than perfectionism, which leads to pride. Many conscientious Christians seek to cultivate discipline in their lives to be more obedient to Christ. As helpful as spiritual disciplines can be, they never can replace your love for God. Love is the discipline. God looks beyond your godly habits, beyond your moral lifestyle, and beyond your church involvement and focuses His penetrating gaze upon your heart.
Has your worship become empty and routine? Have you lost your motivation to read God’s Word? Are you experiencing spiritual lethargy? Is your prayer life reduced to a ritual? These are symptoms of a heart that has shifted away from God. Return to your first love. Love is the greatest motivation for a relationship with God and for serving Him.
Don’t let today or this weekend to be an occasion to sin against God all in the of valentine rather it be a period of seeking out hurting ones, the aging, the orphans around you to bless and show them God’s kind of love which will lead both the giver and the recipients to God’s obedience at the end.
Remain blessed in the Lord.
Evang. Ifeoma Ohondu
