Last week for youth group I asked Christen to make an illustration with two people standing behind a giant Valentine’s Day looking heart with the word “love” on it. I used it to teach and remind the group that for Christians love must be the first thing we present to a lost world. 1 Corinthians 13 tells us that the greatest thing among faith, hope and love is love. Jesus said that the world would know that we are his disciples if we love one another. When Jesus was asked about which commandment was greatest, he gave two, and they are both love.
This Sunday Josh Kelly was preaching about love, about our love for God and for each other, and I was glad to hear it, because it is pretty easy to put other things in front of love, such as truth, being right, entertainment, sex, drama, work, and comfort.
What activities stir up love for God and for the people in your life? Prayer stirs up love in my life. As I begin to think about people, and as I bring their names into God’s presence, I experience love for them, and for God who loves them so much. It gives me a break from thinking about myself and what I want, and what I will do next. Giving stirs up my affections for God and others. When I give something or share something, I experience something that I know is true, i.e. that I love the person I’m sharing with, and love for God who has given so much abundance to me that I can just give something away or share something without fear of having enough. Silence stirs up my affection for God. Most of the time, God is the quietest being in my life. Only occasionally does God put something on me and not leave me alone about that thing. His general way of relating to me is waiting for me to wait on him, to sit with him and say something like: “Here I am, your son, your servant and your friend, to be with you.” Worship, such as singing my heart out reminds me how much I love God, and how blessed I am to be connected to such a great fountain as he.
Make love the first thing you put on in the morning. Bring it to the front in your church life. Tell people you love them. Show people you love them. Enjoy your heavenly dad and communion with Jesus and Holy Spirit.
