Renew Our Love

Good morning and welcome to Our Daily Walk.

Audio version at http://tinyurl.com/2v3nzh

Og Mandino once said, “I will make love my greatest weapon and none on who I call can defend against its force. My love will melt all hearts liken to the sun whose rays soften the coldest day.” Do you believe that your love is powerful? How about God’s love for you?

Notice these two passages from 1 John 4:7-8 and 20-21.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

These passages tell us that love is tied to God and to others. Love is not optional as some may assume. Love is commanded.

What do we need to renew about our love? I would suggest three areas: our love to God and Jesus, our love to the church and finally our love for the lost.

A gift of love is not always expected and often is not even deserved. That’s the kind of love that God and Jesus demonstrated for us. John 3:16 tells us that God sent Jesus to die for us because He loved the world so much. Romans 5:8 tells us basically the same thing. “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Why do we deserve God’s love? Well, we don’t! No one does. It is a gift that is freely given, but not deserved. Friends when we remember this important fact it will help us to renew our love to God and to Jesus for what they have done for us.

We also need to renew our love to the church, the body of our Savior, Jesus. Divorce rates are way too high. Conflicts and disagreements go unchecked and cause division in business, families, neighborhoods, even churches. Ira North once stated that most church splits occur not because of doctrine, but rather on personalities. I think he’s right.

Some people forget about the role of love in their life. They think too highly of themselves and they have forgotten that they, too, are sinners, and were redeemed by the blood of Jesus. Others struggle to accept God’s love because their sin is ever on their mind. When love is absent from the body, the church, nothing good will last.

To renew our love for the church, which includes the members as well as the church collectively, we must begin with the love for the head of the church, Jesus. Paul writes of the church as a body in 1 Corinthians 12:25-27.

(T)hat there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.

Everyone should anticipate a reception of love, acceptance and help when they approach the gathering of the church. If they don’t find it, something needs to be renewed.

Friends we must also renew our love for the lost. Jesus came to seek and save the lost, so why shouldn’t we be more focused on the same?

Sadly, some people just don’t care about the ones who are separated from God. They may not say it outwardly, but their actions speak volumes. Paul spoke in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 about being all things to all men in the hopes of saving some. Now, Paul didn’t save anyone of his own power. That was reserved for the blood of Christ. But Paul’s actions did allow for multitudes of people to see the gospel and to be able to obey it. Without love for the lost Paul would have never sacrificed himself as he did.

Friends, conflicts and disputes are a fact of life. Don’t allow them to remain as you find them. Work within God’s instructions and resolve as many as you can.

On Our Daily Walk today, may we come to understand that it is impossible for us to sing, “Oh How I Love Jesus” and not also learn to love one another. May we find some way every day to show our love for others as well as for God.

Our thought for the day: “It is impossible for two persons to hate each other and both of them to love God.”

May God bless you on your daily walk.

© Our Daily Walk, Mike Baker, 2007. Permission is granted to copy these articles provided they are not sold and the author's name and copyright are included.