"Love"

People that are sincere in their faith and have a serious attitude and desire for the Lord will tell you when they speak about the love of God, well...there is not a lot to say. People who seem to play the religious game speak of the love (and grace) as a free stamp of approval to practice whatever it is they do with little desire to change their thinking or ways. They seem to use statements like: "God doesn't make junk!" or "He's not done with me yet!"If we are honest in our thinking, we probably would have to admit we know little about the love of God. Maybe that's just me and I need some help from you to know His love better.

When Paul spoke of the love of Christ, he said it surpassed knowledge (Eph. 3:19). Christ's love goes beyond our knowledge, our sense of how precious it is. Paul's prayer was that each and everyone of us be rooted and grounded it love, to be able to comprehend the breadth, length, height and depth of His love (Eph. 3:17-18). I am not sure what to do with all the above but I know one thing, we seem to miss the power and awesomeness of the love of Christ. How little effect it has on our minds. How little the love of Christ helps us make decisions and choices in life. The love of Christ is great and wonderful in sermons and bible classes, but when someone steps on our toes, disagrees with our thoughts or corrects us, watch out...love is out the door! Fences go up, the defense mechanisms start sounding and we put up barriers so we will not be hurt. That demonstrates how little we really know about love. I am speaking of the love that goes beyond our knowledge. It is a practiced love, as seen in Christ for us. It is an undeserving love, as seen in Christ for us. It is a love that puts up no barriers, as seen in the love of Christ for us. It is a love that motivates one to move forward when there is no reason to move forward, as seen in the love of Christ for us.

Love is beyond our thinking. It is so high, so deep, so wide and long that...well, I just don't really understand it. But I do understand this, His love is to be the determining factor in all my decisions, my actions and that the love of Christ is to control us (II Cor. 5:14). Now that is something to think about! May God open the eyes of our hearts to grasp hold of His love, forgiving as He forgave me. That's where it begins!