Overflowing Love
“And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.”1
The Bible is filled with an abundance of verses about loving others. Love is the essence of who God is, and as His children, it should be a natural part of our new life in Christ. However, I think we can all agree that having a genuine love for all those we encounter is much easier said than done!
The greatest need in our world today is not more power, knowledge, or science, but LOVE. The world has distorted what love is and, instead of promoting the unselfish and sacrificial love that we are meant to show each other, it has been replaced with an “all about me” mindset. I would like to say that this distorted view only affects those who don’t know Christ yet, but unfortunately, many long-time Christian’s also have this mindset.
When Jesus told us to love each other as he has loved us in John 13:34, it wasn’t a suggestion… it was a commandment! Jesus didn’t tell us to love the loveable or those who show us love, he actually made sure to also tell us to “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who abuse you.” (Luke 6:27-28). When Jesus died on the cross, he made no exception of who was worthy of that great love and sacrifice. Instead, he reminded us that we have ALL sinned and fall short of His glory, that God loved the WORLD and gave His only Son, and that WHOEVER believes in Him will have eternal life. This is the love he had for us and the love that he wants to see overflow in our lives to others.
Augustine said, “What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has the eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. This is what love looks like.”
May our daily desire be to not only know God’s love, but to BE God’s love to others.
Suggested prayer: Lord, help me be a channel of your love today. Give me your eyes to see beyond my erred perception of others, and give me your heart to genuinely love like you love me. In this world where so many are experiencing great loneliness, use me to be a listening ear and true friend to those who need it most. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
1. 1 Thessalonians 3:12 (NLT).
Today’s Encounter was written by: Crystal B.
All articles on this website are written by
Richard (Dick) Innes unless otherwise stated.