Thursday, September 9, 2010

Monday Morning Devotion #292

Focal Passage for 2010:

“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)

Weekly Passage:

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up” 1 Corinthians 13:4

As we continue our journey into 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, we will focus our time this week on a second portion of 1 Corinthians 13:4. Our focus this year has been, and continues to be, learning to love others as Christ loves us. As I have shared before, my definition of love differs from God’s definition of love. God is teaching me that HE is the authority on all things. In light of that truth, if my definition is different than His, my definition is wrong!! “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29).

In our last devotion, we dove deep into the first portion of our focal passage to learn the meaning of “Love suffers long…” In this portion of Scripture, “…Paul chose a relatively rare Greek word for his definitive passage on love. The word, agape, describes a love that is based on the deliberate choice of the one who loves rather than the worthiness of the one who is loved. This kind of love goes against natural human inclination. It is a giving, selfless, expect-nothing-in-return kind of love” (Nelson Study Bible, p. 1933). I LOVE this portion of Scripture because when we look closely we see the very image of Jesus Christ our Lord!! Jesus Christ is our Example!! HE is the perfect Model of Biblical love!! We discussed that “long suffering” is actually patience. We answered the question, “How can we exhibit patience in our relationships with others in a way that honors the Lord, exemplifies Christ and points others to the cross?” The answer is really learning to DIE TO SELF!!! In order for us to love others the way Christ loves us, we must learn to put aside our “rights” and serve others in a way that benefits them. What benefits mankind most?? The greatest blessing we can offer another person is the truth of the Gospel. Sharing the Gospel is vital but we cannot neglect to put the Gospel in action as well through acts of love.

This week, we are going to move a little further into our focal passage, “Love…is kind…” What is “kindness”? Kindness is an expression of our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. When we are kind to one another, we are setting aside ourselves and treating another person in a way that says, “I value you/I love you” while exhibiting our submission and obedience to the Lord God. Turn to Ephesians 4:32 “And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians chapter 4 begins by calling us to “walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love” (verses 1-2). Again, we see a picture of Christ unfold before our very eyes!!!

God’s breathed Word centers on Christ!! Every word in Scripture is pointing us to the One who came to save sinners and set the captive souls free!! Nothing that God commands in Scripture is optional!!! Yes, men/women do rebel against the Lord God but their rebellion does not void, diminish, lessen, or eliminate the truth, power, and absoluteness of Scripture!!! We are called to glorify the Lord God in all we do, think, and say. Nothing is hidden from His sight and we will ALL stand accountable for the choices we make. Everything we do, think, and say should be for the purpose of pointing others to the Lord Jesus Christ. When we are kind to one another, putting others above ourselves, and dying to self, we are exhibiting something that the world cannot offer!!!

You see, our world system is established on sin and self. Our culture screams the message “LIVE FOR YOURSELF!!! SATISFY YOURSELF!!! DO NOT THINK ABOUT ANY ONE ELSE!!! When a child of God steps up and selflessly loves another person the way Christ loves, the world takes notice. The world may not applaud or even acknowledge the expression of Christ but the power of God is revealed and the Holy Spirit opens the eyes of those who were once blind!! What we do and how we live does matter!!! God in His infinite wisdom created us to be His representatives to a lost and dying world. This world is not our home and we must not live as if it is!! When we release our “rights” to the Lord and live in a way that is worthy of His calling we gain so much more than we ever gave up!!!

Kindness can be expressed in a number of ways:

• Speaking in ways that edify, encourage, and point others to the truth of God’s Word
• Letting go of all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and malice
• Forgiving others as Christ forgave us

Do people see Christ Jesus being lived out in your life?