Actually, loving does not take any great effort on our part because it is not something we must put forth great effort to achieve. When God enters our heart, soul, and mind, love is spontaneously produced because He is love. It is a spiritual attainment. It is the result of a cause and the cause is this: God loved us first (1 John 4:19).
This love is not produced by us. No one can love God until he knows that God loves him and we can only love God when we have perceived some reasons for doing so. Each person that has ever been saved never came to God as a lover of God, but as a sinner who had come to believe in God's love for him or her. Our love is connected with this "knowing."
When we realize God's love for us, we become acutely aware of our unworthiness. The more we recognize our own helpless state, the more we understand God's love for us; a love so great that it embraces poor sinner. We love because God first loved us.
God loves us. It is a fact affirmed and validated by the patriarchs, lawgivers, seers, prophets, apostles, teachers, deacons, evangelists. From Genesis to Revelation, a conglomeration of witnesses joined together to make this heavenly announcement: God loves us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died.
But, we cannot claim we love God if we do not love one another; for it is in loving God that we are enabled to love one another, and in loving one another, our love for God is strengthened. Human love is a response to God's love. His love within us creates goodness and transforms the unlovable into the lovable. When this miracle occurs, we discover we love not only others, but ourselves.
No greater claim can any of us make than that we love. Love is a characteristic of those who love God. Love is the great bond of fellowship which binds believers to one another, and to our Lord. We love all men-even our enemies. Like John, we do not claim to love as deeply as we desire to love; we do not claim to love as much as we expect to as we progress in the faith, but we do claim to love. There is no guessing, no speculation, no assumptions, and no inferences.
We Christians stand side by side with John and thousands of others down through the generations to affirm what John declared. That somehow, even in this messed up world, even in times like these when man's inhumanity to man seem to have reached chaotic proportions, we love and we do it because God lives in us and God is love. This is God's eminent challenge to man and one of man's greatest trials.
Rev. Saundra L. Washington, D.D., is an ordained clergywoman, social worker, and Founder of AMEN Ministries. http://www.clergyservices4u.org. She is also the author of two coffee table books: Room Beneath the Snow: Poems that Preach and Negative Disturbances: Homilies that Teach. Her new book, Out of Deep Waters: My Grief Management Workbook, will be available soon.
tidy up service Northbrook ..Everyone is busy nowadays. It's hard to find time for... Read More
Over the past few years I have watched the popularity... Read More
Is it not true that only after gaining Enlightenment (Self-Realization)... Read More
I am going to remind of some simple, yet important... Read More
You decide! We are often asked to make decisions. Decision... Read More
Last week I talked about the need to practice emotional... Read More
Most of our troubles are bought about by exercising our... Read More
What is the true nature of any illness? Research in... Read More
What power do we hold individually in the midst of... Read More
The word "psychology" is the combination of two terms -... Read More
As a Coach and Psychotherapist I have found that the... Read More
INTRODUCTIONSpiritual affirmations are positive, statements of intention, that facilitate manifestation.... Read More
I have a long-term goal--a life-long goal really--to develop the... Read More
After first seeing my photography, people... Read More
The truth revealed as we read about Hazael also reminds... Read More
"Self-Actualization" is the process of making our self "actual." Our... Read More
Oxford dictionary defines PRAYER as "a request for help or... Read More
This article is a reply that deals with certain criticisms... Read More
In looking back at my process over the years I... Read More
For the last 35 years, I have been working with... Read More
Every workday, five days a week, I take the light... Read More
If you would like to learn to read tarot cards,... Read More
While study and pursuit of the Kundalini is considered part... Read More
There I was living in a tiny bedroom in my... Read More
Anything can be used for divination; coins, tea leaves, cards,... Read More
reliable home cleaners Buffalo Grove ..I have, in my opinion, the world's perfect job. Just... Read More
With another year full of family events coming upon us,... Read More
Although spring is just around the corner, there have been... Read More
As I sit here and ponder my existence my heart... Read More
Mother Nature has this uncanny tendency to turn upon herself... Read More
Do you ever wonder about the other "YOU ?"The one... Read More
Anything can be used for divination; coins, tea leaves, cards,... Read More
1. Life is a precious gift given to us by... Read More
Anyone who has invested time, energy and effort into finding... Read More
For we do not have a high priest who is... Read More
There is an inherent generosity in the human spirit to... Read More
Recently, I received a frantic midnight call from one of... Read More
Most forms of psychotherapy I know either tries to help... Read More
Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God;I... Read More
Self-actualization comes down to three basic premises: this is who... Read More
"Our mind is capable of passing beyond the dividing line... Read More
I'm weary of saying No to my children. Not just... Read More
Are you at a crossroad in your life where you... Read More
Enlightenment can come in an instant or it may take... Read More
'O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom... Read More
Obviously, if you really want to learn about the meanings... Read More
Life is full of ups and downs, trials, and tribulations.... Read More
The myths of man have been with us throughout time.... Read More
There are many different and interchangeable terms that are used... Read More
As you will see I the Scripture verse I will... Read More
Spirituality |