Divine and Perfect Love
What does it mean to love? Christ has commanded us to love. From beginning to end, the Scriptures are God's love letter to us. Love marks us, sets us apart as followers of Jesus. Paul writes in Romans 12:9 "Let love be genuine, ... love one another with brotherly affection." Throughout the New Testament, we are encouraged in this way. So why is it so hard to do? The love that God calls us to is a supernatural love. A sacrificial love, a "willing to lay down oneself for another" kind of love. One that is impossible in ourselves. The desire to love another must be from God Himself. The desire to love God is our response to God's love at work in us. Recognizing my limitations and weaknesses, my inability to love well, is a start to loving well. It's actually a relief to know that I can't love on my own! On my own I am left to navigate relationships my own way which leaves me often hurt, irritated, and yet longing for more. These longings for mor...