Looking At Love

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Looking At Love

Movie star  “love”  is so fickle  and untrue.     In their self-centeredness,  they can fall  in and out  of “love”  faster than one can turn around.     Sadly,  many look up  to movie stars  and wish  they were glamorous like them  with all their love affairs.     But  the sort of “love”  they display  leads to so much unhappiness,  addictions  and divorce.     That can’t really be  love.

So,  what sort of love  is true?     What kind of love  should we have?

We know  God’s love  is true.     He has proven it  by promising a Savior  when mankind sinned,  leading the Israelites  through all sorts of trials,  giving them glimpses  of what their Savior  would be like,  and faithfully sending Jesus  to fulfill all  of those promises.

God’s love  for us  is so great  Jesus willingly died  to pay  for all of our sins,  so that we could be washed  totally clean  and enjoy eternal life  just by believing  and trusting  in His love.     In other words,  God understands  our desperate need  for forgiveness  and righteousness.     His love  has found a way  to make us holy  in His eyes  through the blood  of Jesus.     Love  finds a way.

That means  a true love gives  of itself  all the way.     There is no fickleness,  no wishy-washiness,  no fear.     That’s the kind  of love  we should have  for God and each other.   So,  how can we  show love?     Look at God’s love.

God’s love  is faithful.     We need  to be faithful.     God is kind,  merciful  and compassionate.     We need  to work at that.

God’s love sought to save us  in our sin dilemma  by sending a Savior,  who takes away  all our sins.     If we’re loving,  it looks like we need  to be finding ways  to lead others  to that Savior,  who loves us so.

Love works  with all its might  to save  what is lost.     Love does not  “walk around” those  who are lost,  so as to not associate  with them.     Love does not avoid  the subject  of salvation  in Christ alone,  the consequences of sin  in eternity  (i.e. hell),  and our serious need  for righteousness  before the Almighty.

Those are tough subjects  to talk about  with someone  who might laugh at us  or sneer  in our face  or stop being  our friend forever.     But,  if we love someone,  really love someone,  we will give our all  in leading them  in the truths  of God’s salvation.     Love wants  to save  the beloved one.

But,  sometimes  we’re just ashamed  to admit  that we,  too,  are weak sinners  with embarrassing flaws  that trip us up  too much  of the time.     We’re ashamed  to admit  our indescribable need  for a Savior.

Face it.     We’re ashamed of our need  for our Savior.

In spite of this shamefulness  of ours,  Jesus has some strong,  loving words  of truth  for us  in Mark 8:34-38.     It says:

And He summoned the crowd  with His disciples,  and said  to them,  “If anyone wishes  to come  after Me,  he must deny himself,  and take up his cross  and follow Me.     For whoever wishes  to save his life  will lose it,  but whoever loses his life  for My sake  and the gospel’s  will save it.     For  what does it profit a man  to gain the whole world,  and forfeit  his soul?     For  what will a man give  in exchange  for his soul?     For whoever is ashamed  of Me  and My words  in this adulterous  and sinful generation,  the Son of Man  will also be ashamed  of him  when He comes  in the glory  of His Father  with the holy angels.”

In other words,  Jesus is pleadingly saying,  “Buck up.     Face the truth.     Live in truth.     The worldly  won’t love you  if you love Me,  but are they worth losing  your soul over?     You’ve got  to make a choice.     Love others  as I have loved you.     Spend your life  spreading the gospel  with all your might.     But,  if they despise  the love of God  and their only salvation,  don’t fall in line  with them.     It’s not worth it.”

Our cross  is loving God’s love  for us  and seeing the world  despise our love  and salvation.

2 Thessalonians 3:5,  “May the Lord  direct your hearts  into the love  of God  and into the steadfastness  of Christ.”

With Christ in our hearts,  we say,  “Hallelujah!     LORD, thank You for Your love.”

Love,
Margaret

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A Christian devotional  to glorify  the LORD of lords  and GOD of gods.

Pray for our country.

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The LORD  made this day, let us rejoice  and be glad  in Him.

Psalm 118:24

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The word of the LORD is tried;

He is a shield  to all  who take refuge  in Him.

Psalm 18:30

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Sing for joy  in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;

Praise is becoming  to the upright.

Psalm 33:1

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How blessed are those  who dwell  in Thy house!

They are ever praising Thee.

Psalm 84:4

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Just as a father  has compassion  on his children,

So the LORD  has compassion  on those who fear Him.

Psalm 103:13

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O give thanks  to the LORD,  for He is good;

For His lovingkindness  is everlasting.

Psalm 107:1

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Glory in His holy name;

Let the heart  of those who seek the LORD  be glad.

Psalm 105:3

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Not that I have already obtained it,  or have already  become perfect,   but I press on  in order that  I may  lay hold  of that  for which also  I was laid hold of  by Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:12

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