Good morning,
For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
Romans 5:5
It seems to me that love comes in many flavors. Some of the flavors are sweet, but poisonous, other flavors are sour and powerless and thankfully there is an intense but rare flavor that is profoundly satisfying to all who discover it. When God first created our earth and filled it with life, he joyfully walked through his creation and shared his joy with those he had created. Our Enemy snuck into that holy garden and borrowed a snake to introduce the first poisonous version of the wonderful reality of the love of God. When Adam and Eve took a bite of the beautiful fruit they were introduced to the poison of self love that has never left our world since. It wasn’t long until the flavors of control, rebellion and hatred began to work their way into the beautiful world that God had designed to demonstrate his holy love. A world wide flood checked this poisonous growth, but those who survived still carried the taste for what worked when they needed it. Along with the tangy poisonous variety came the sour and powerless flavor that we know as religion today.
About 2000 years ago the Creator, Jesus, the Son of God, came to live here with us to undo the power of these poisonous forms of love. and once and for all pay the price for our sins by dying in our place on a cruel cross. Three days later he came back alive and well and now offers us a flavor of love that is profoundly satisfying to all who discover it. We all still have a natural sin nature, but for those of us who are willing to trust Jesus to take control of our lives and hearts, he has given us the powerful gift of his Holy Spirit. Jesus now gives us his love to share with those around us. It is God’s Holy Spirit that loves others through us that overrides the poisonous forms of love that still control our world today. There is no way we can fully understand how this love works, but God has told us he is willing to give us as much of this love as we are willing to ask for as we grow up in our relationship with him. When he tells us to love him and others around us, he is not telling us to use our sinful forms of love to carry out his work. He wants us to pray for his love for our friends, family, neighbors and enemies. It’s when God’s Holy Spirit pours out his love through us that God’s power is released through us to do the work God has given us to show to a lost and hopeless world. Dear Lord, will you please fill our hearts with more and more of your love as we come to share your joy with you in eternity.
Ephesians 3:19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Roy Wisner
