I John 4:20-21 “If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.”
Can I be honest with you? I love going to church and singing pretty songs to God. Thinking about God just gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling all over. And if it weren’t for some of those blasted people in the pews, church would always be a great experience.
Can I get an Amen?
Sometimes, it is easier to love God, whom we can’t see, than it is to love the people we must deal with face to face. People are flawed. They can be mean. They can be annoying, and loving them is really hard. But God is invisible, and we can just say we love Him and then go on about our business. Right?
Wrong!
If we love God, we must love others. Period. When we really love God, His love is born in us. And His love is perfect and complete. His love doesn’t withdraw from us when we are unattractive. It is stronger than steel, more permanent than concrete. And when we love God, and He lives in us, we take on His nature, which is to love – no matter what. If we can’t love the people standing right in front of us, we don’t have the love of God in us.
So I guess I need to think again about those people to my right and my left. I know that with God’s help, I will be able to love them with His perfect love. And if I love them that way, they may just return the favor . . .
Dear Father, Thank You for loving me in spite of my many flaws. Please teach me to love others the way You love.
Amen
Hi Renae! I love this post and love the way you write.
I agree with you. In my home, the love of God picks you up, dusts you off, compells you to hold on when you prefer to be alone, and never lets you go.
Blessings!
Thanks, Wendy! Isn’t it great that God loves us that way? 🙂
Watching with interest the development of your great new site! It is terrific! Congrats!
Hey Renae, I came over from your NEW WEBSITE!! It’s wonderful — congratulations!!