Jude 1:2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.
What is the greatest story of love that you have ever heard about? I can recall hearing my dad speak about the love that he had for my mother when they were 17, and it has remained until now through thick and thin for 30 years this September. What about the love stories from the war? Do you ever think of the sacrifices that are paid each day and the desperation of being apart for so many days, months or years? The reuniting of soldiers coming home to their wives is breathtaking especially when the children are resting in the mother’s arms waiting for their daddy. There are many love stories that make Hollywood’s screen. Some are true and others are fictional but none compare to the greatest love story ever written…
At the end of basketball practice each day in college, I can hear the words of my coach echo into my ear as he closed us in prayer. He would always say, “Thank you God for loving me when I can be so unlovable.” Have you ever stopped to consider the strength, power, height, depth, length and width of God’s love revealed in Jesus Christ? We have all been unlovable, unresponsive and unappreciative of God’s love for us. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6). “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). We would have no hope of ever knowing love unless love pursued us. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). The Gospel is the greatest love story of the King of Glory becoming a peasant and dying an ungodly substutionary death that the ungodly could be made “kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (Revelation 1:6)
How can we distinguish between those who know love and those who are pretending to love? For many years before my conversion, I always tried to love other people, but it was a selfish love based on what I could manipulate others to do. God’s love is unselfishly lavished on sinners for no other reason than to reveal the beauty and glory of His love that is directed toward the unlovable. Do you remember the moment that “the love of God was shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us?” This is an amazing reality that many in the church have yet to experience… the awakening of the soul by the Holy Spirit to respond to the overwhelming flood of God’s love displayed through the cross.
Over the past few months, I have witnessed this love in many people who continuously love despite the unresponsiveness of others. Women who love their husbands though passive and unresponsive to the gospel, missionaries who lay down their lives for a rebellious people group, employees who work diligently and share Christ in the workplace, and students who give hope to their hurting classmates are setting an example. Every time you step out of your comfort zone and do something spontaneous and unexpected to those who are totally undeserving of your love, you are revealing God’s grace and truth to others. We are called to do to others what you would want them to do to you. If you love only the people who love you, what praise should you get? Even sinners love the people who love them. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without hoping to get anything back. Then you will have a great reward, and you will be children of the Most High God, because he is kind even to people who are ungrateful and full of sin. Show mercy, just as your Father shows mercy. (Luke 6:31-32, 35-36 NCV)
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