A Love Like No Other

  
    I was asleep and my Spirit woke me up.  I heard in my mind, "Love is the ultimate deposit."  What do I mean by that?  Love is the best gift you can give anyone.  When you deposit true, Christ-like love into someone's life, you are sowing a seed that will be very fruitful.  Not only will you receive back blessings in your life, but you have now opened up someone else's life for them to sow love and be blessed.

    Love in the Greek,  is the word, Agape (Uh-gaw-pay).  Not only does this word symbolize the love of God towards us, but it also talks of the love we should have for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.  Agape is founded in admiration and esteem.  Colossians 3:12-14 says this, " Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all of these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." 
    When we talk about Agape, we are not referring to a secular love.  We are not talking about, I tell you I love you but I really don't care.  We are talking about a brotherhood and a sisterhood of believers, really loving one another from their Spirit-man. This is only possible if we allow Christ, living in us, to teach us how to love others.
    John 3:16, " For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  Can you imagine how much love that is?  Is it possible for us as human beings to love one another like that?  Not by ourselves it is not.  It takes trusting God and letting Him love through us to accomplish this.
    We are a community of believers.  When one of our "neighbors" needs us, we should be there.  We should be cloaking them in love and compassion.  Teach them truths and edify them.  2 Thessalonians 1:3, "Dear brothers and sisters, we can't help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing."   Paul taught all about the love Christians should have for one another.
    I know that God has convicted me of not truly loving other people.  We say that we love.  We pretend to be interested and then when they are not in our face anymore, we go on with our lives.  We "Fake it, but we never make it," if you catch my drift.  We are called to love others.  It is one thing that Jesus said to us.  It is written, " A new commandment I give to you, That you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another," John 13:34-35.
    If Jesus commanded us to love one another, then why aren't we?  I challenge you to take assessment of your life and the people in it.  Do you show love and charity, kindness, and patience to everyone around you?  Are you capable of loving others, as you love yourself?  I know that without God I am unable of doing this, but He let His Son be put on that cross, so His Spirit could live within us and teach us His ways.  So, If Christ is in me, than I can do it.  And so can you.

Love in Christ,
Kristine