Where is my love? – Part 3

Matt. 22:36-37 and 39 say, “Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind… 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

Beloved, we owe God a duty of love in all our principles and practices. We must love Him, and delight in communion with Him. It is our duty to walk in the ways in which He has appointed us to walk, particularly in the area of adoration and affection. We are commanded to show our love toward Him by serving Him with all our heart and soul. What we do in His service must be cheerfully done, and with good will. We must keep His commandments and give honour to Him, as a proof of love. And to Him we must cleave unto as one we love and delight in, trust in, and from whom we have great expectations. Love covers multitude of sins. Thus, for all our sins and transgressions, God requires nothing but to turn to Him, love and obey Him, so that His grace in mercy shall abound in our life.

Moreover, we are also taught our duty to our neighbour. God’s common gifts to mankind oblige us to honour all men. And those who have been in distress, and have found mercy with God, should be ready to show kindness to those who are presently in distress. A good believer is expected to visit the sick, help the needy and encourage those in captivity (prison), so as to win them for Christ, as a matter of love.

Matt 25:35-37 says, “For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? Or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? Or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me”

To meet the high standard of love set before us by the Lord, we must circumcise our hearts, cast away all corrupt affections and inclinations, which hinder us from fearing and loving God. Remember that by the nature of Adam, which we inherited, we do not love God and this is our original sin, the source by which our wickedness proceeds. But the coming of Christ to die for our sin has opened our eyes to a new horizon of love for God. And having seen the uncommon kind of love our God demonstrated through Jesus Christ, we are commanded to reciprocate such gesture in all ramifications of our lives. With the real love, no matter what we are going through in life, whether trials, persecution, afflictions, they will never deter us from the love we have for God; rather, they will make us continue to serve God and please Him.

Job had a great love for God. Thus, when he was tempted with affliction and losses, he spoke not against God, but had great regard for Him. He remained faithful to God and at the end of his trial; God blessed his latter end more than his beginning. God is faithful in love. Any child of God could go through trials, affliction or persecution, but when all these things are happening, the Lord will be watching whether you will speak evil or denounce Him because of hardship, trial, affliction or persecution. He will be watching whether you love Him above all the things you are passing through.

Let us love the brethren, sinners and encourage them to come to the Lord and He will bless us in Jesus name.