January 17, 2020

Happy Friday. It’s the end of another week and we have had more opportunities to share the love of Christ with those around us and sometimes that takes quite a bit of effort. I don’t know about you, but I’m not always anxious to embrace others and really listen to them or share with them (especially those who I don’t know well). Sometimes, I just look at them and think “Are you for real?” I don’t always agree with people over politics, sports or of course, religion. And let’s face it, we’d rather spend time with people we like and mostly agree. 


And then I read my Bible. God hasn’t called us to sit in our little groups with only those we naturally gravitate towards, but to love people—all people, even those who aren’t necessarily loveable. In this passage, Paul writing to the people of Colosse remarks on how wonderful it is that they truly love others. That love must have really been something over and above the normal and he tells them that it is evident that it comes from the Holy Spiri. And thats the only way we can hope to love all those around us—though the work of the Spirit. , 


“He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you. So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.” ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1:8-10‬ ‭NLT‬‬


That genuine faith in Jesus will always give us a love for Gods people and for those around us. Faith, hope and especially love are not just nice “ideas” but rather should form the basis of our belief. These things dominated Paul’s thinking as a Christian. 


Paul prays for these fellow believers to have a knowledge of God and what He required of them. And then he prays that they would live according to that knowledge they received. That may be what is the difficult step—following through with what we know. But that step is what leads to our lives becoming full of the Spirit and the fruit Which ultimately reveals the Father and we come to know Him better and better. 


Lord of love, teach us to love as your u love and open our hearts to those around us. Help us Father to know you more and more and to honor and please you. Show us you will for our lives and remove the selfishness and self-centered attitude that so easily come upon us. We want to worship you in all your glory and bow down before you. What a great God you are to love each of us so intimately and personably. Help us Lord to follow through with what we know and speak to us today. We believe in you and we pray for your filling of love like we have never known before. We love you and praise your holy Name. Amen and amen. 


Love you dear one,

Pam


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