This post is inspired by one of my new tanks from the light blonde shop. I am borderline obsessed with all these super cute tees and tanks hand-made by a fellow Jesus-loving lady. You absolutely must check it out!
Lovers gonna love. Haters gonna hate. Most of us prefer to be called lovers, although we are often tempted to behave as haters. It is so easy to be selfish, yet so difficult to be selfless. God knew when he created us that we would struggle to love others. The flesh innately knows how to hate, so we must depend on God to teach us to love.
“Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD.” – Psalm 32:10, ESV
God pours his spirit of love into our hearts when we accept Christ as our Savior. Don’t miss that. His perfect love POURS directly into our hearts… no filters, no rations, just pure love.
God promises to the Israelite captives in Babylon: “I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.” – Isaiah 44:3b, ESV
Paul reminds the church: “hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” – Romans 5:5, ESV
This outpouring of love is available for us anytime and anywhere. Faith in God offers us a limitless supply of His perfect love, pure and holy, and all we must do is ask. His love is like a well that never runs dry and never quits providing.
“There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear … We love because He first loved us.” – 1 John 4:18a-19, HCSB
God’s love is steadfast, as in, it is not subject to change. He promises us that his mercies will never run out, they will never expire, and He will renew them for us each and every morning. Yes! Every single morning.. not just Monday mornings.. and they are never-ending. I find great comfort in knowing that when I ‘run out’ of love, God can refill my tank and send me back on my way to do his work.
“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” – Lamentations 3:22-23, ESV
We must remember that, as Christians, we are not only called to love those of OUR choosing, but to love everyone. Loving others takes on different forms in different situations. Sometimes we show love from afar with our prayers, sometimes we show love up close with our compassion, and sometimes we show love by not showing hate. Refraining from hating requires us to let go of our judgements and trying to look at the person as Jesus does. It is hardest for me when the other person is showing hatred to me or someone close to me; however, there is no “unless scenario” in the following passage. [Translation = we still are called to love!]
“If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother he has seen cannot love the God he has not seen. And we have this command from Him: The one who loves God must also love his brother.” – 1 John 4:20-21, HCSB
Seriously, John? The beloved disciple did not pen this letter from a luxurious yacht on the Mediterranean. He had walked with Jesus in his earthly ministry and had survived the subsequent condemnation, repression, hatred, and violence shown to the known followers of Christ in those early days. He relocated to Ephesus after the Romans destroyed his church in Jerusalem around A.D. 70, where he most likely wrote this letter.
The man had every reason to hate! (I would have!) Instead, John looked to Christ for his strength of heart and source of love. Faith gave John the ability to look beyond all the haters and still be willing and able to trust God and His Word whole-heartedly.
Lovers gonna love. Haters gonna hate. Faith will do the same for us as it did for John when we focus our eyes on Jesus instead of our surroundings. Choose God. His love is PERFECT!
elizabeth gwin 