WHERE IS THE LOVE? WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most
holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in
God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ
to bring you to eternal life.
(Jude 20-21)

MEDITATION:
The Bible is our revelation of the fact that God is love. Many people
misunderstand the merciful and gracious attribute of God’s nature,
which is love. His love doesn’t mean there is no punishment for sin,
but His justice is tempered with love.

In other words, whenever we are remorseful and repentant of our sins,
God is willing to forgive and restore us. His love is ready to transform
us when we honestly have a desire to distance ourselves from our sins.
God’s righteousness is a rehabilitating righteousness established by love.

God’s atonement is an atonement planned by love, provided by love,
given by love, finished by love, and necessitated because of love. The
resurrection of Christ is the miracle of love. The return of Christ is
the fulfillment of love.

When we think of God, we should automatically think of love.
No matter what sin we have committed, or how terrible, dirty,
or shameful it may be, God still loves us. He knows our potential
and sanctifies us so we can pursue His plans for us which were
created before we were formed in the womb. This love of God is
immeasurable, unmistakable, and unending!

We are told to keep ourselves in God’s love by building ourselves up.
Does that mean we become selfish and egotistical? Of course not. It
means we build ourselves up in the way God wants it done – His way.
We are to build ourselves up in our holy faith and we pray with the
attitude of the Holy Spirit, not as someone who selfishly wants the
things that can feed their ego or their lustful desires for sinful pleasure.

Since the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, we should pray intercessory
prayers for others.
    We should pray for their salvation;
    we should pray for their healing;
    we should pray for their encouragement;
    we should pray for them to overcome the evil one;
    we should pray for them to use the spiritual gifts God has given them;
    we should pray for anything that will make them more righteous.

So, what is the result of keeping ourselves in God’s love? We develop
patience as we anticipate the mercy of the Lord to bring us to eternal
life. We can’t get our minds around the bliss that awaits us in heaven,
but we know it will be amazing because it is filled with God’s love!
That’s what we are told in God’s Word.

ACTION:
Questions to consider:
    – Am I fully aware of God’s love for me?
    – How has His love changed my life?
    – Do I allow His love to flow through me to others?
    – Am I making efforts to remain in His love?
    – Do I love others by my standards, or by God’s?
    – Can I recall a time when I showed love to someone else
       in a special way with no expectations of anything in return?
    – Do I make a special effort to show love to others,
       or do I only expect others to show love toward me?
    – Do I have boundaries and restrictions for showing love
       toward others, or do I love them in the same way God loves me?

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for Your never-ending love for me!
Thank You for loving even though I have faults and failures. Teach
me to love others in the same way You love me. Show me how to
change my attitudes so Your love can freely flow through me. Help
me to nurture and increase my faith, and to communicate with You
daily through prayer. There is no other source for me to learn about
true love than through You. Father, thank You for Your forgiveness
and love that encourage and assure me that You can mold me into the
person You want me to be.”

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