“I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor,
so that you through his poverty might become rich.”
II Corinthians 8:8-9
How far can you be stretched when it comes to loving someone else when the love it requires is anything but convenient? I am not talking about the kind of love that simply disrupts our schedule for today but the kind of love that changes our plans;
perhaps for a lifetime.
Love that isn’t tested or love that isn’t stretched is not a love that will last.
We ‘love’ convenience but true love is often anything but convenient.
God sent His Son out of love.
It was not necessary for Him to change His plans because His is not, nor never has been, a love that is here today and gone tomorrow.
Here is what He has to say about His love in Jeremiah 31:3
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”
God’s love for us is not a ‘convenient’ love.
The cross was not ‘convenient’.
Giving His one and only Son was not convenient.
Turning away when your sin and my sin was laid upon His Son was not convenient.
But it was what His love demanded.
Yes, sometimes love makes demands on you and I.
It demands we back up the words: “I love you.”
It demands that sin be punished.
Love sometimes makes you uncomfortable and inconvenienced.
We can speak gracious words but what we need to do is live with love evidenced by gracious acts.
God ‘backs up’ His words.
He declares His love.
He demonstrates His love.
He lives in us through His Holy Spirit so we can “…go and do likewise.”
that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor,
so that you through his poverty might become rich.”
II Corinthians 8:8-9
How far can you be stretched when it comes to loving someone else when the love it requires is anything but convenient? I am not talking about the kind of love that simply disrupts our schedule for today but the kind of love that changes our plans;
perhaps for a lifetime.
Love that isn’t tested or love that isn’t stretched is not a love that will last.
We ‘love’ convenience but true love is often anything but convenient.
God sent His Son out of love.
It was not necessary for Him to change His plans because His is not, nor never has been, a love that is here today and gone tomorrow.
Here is what He has to say about His love in Jeremiah 31:3
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”
God’s love for us is not a ‘convenient’ love.
The cross was not ‘convenient’.
Giving His one and only Son was not convenient.
Turning away when your sin and my sin was laid upon His Son was not convenient.
But it was what His love demanded.
Yes, sometimes love makes demands on you and I.
It demands we back up the words: “I love you.”
It demands that sin be punished.
Love sometimes makes you uncomfortable and inconvenienced.
We can speak gracious words but what we need to do is live with love evidenced by gracious acts.
God ‘backs up’ His words.
He declares His love.
He demonstrates His love.
He lives in us through His Holy Spirit so we can “…go and do likewise.”
No comments:
Post a Comment