The Power of God's Love

July/Holiness

7 July 2010

What does the love of God accomplish in a person? It kills his desires, it cleanses his heart, it protects him, it swallows up his vices, it earns rewards, it prolongs his life, it washes his soul.

- Colman mac Beognai, Aipgitir Chrabaid (Irish, 7th century)

If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.

- 1 John 4. 20

God's love exerts transforming power in our lives. I don't know how, but it does. There is a kind of spiritual persuasion that operates on our hearts, minds, and consciences when we bask in the love God has for us that takes away corrupt desires, foments new affections of love for our neighbors, and sets us on a course of behaviors more reflective of the life of Christ than our own lives.

God's love is mysterious but real, and really powerful to transform. That's why we need to spend more time meditating on God's love for us - all the innumerable ways His steadfast love sustains and blesses us throughout the day, and particularly the grand gesture of unfathomable grace which He demonstrated toward us in Jesus Christ.

The more we understand, sense, experience, and respond with gratitude for the love God shows to us, the more we, too, will be able to love our neighbors with that same love. Not with our love, which is much too selfish to make room for the concerns of others. But with the love of Jesus that works in and through us so that the glory of God comes to light in our relationships with others.

If you're having a little trouble ginning up love for someone in your life, you need to spend more time dwelling on God's love for you. Here you are, right there with me, about as wormy and despicable a creature ever to exist under the heavens, filled with wicked thoughts and a record of self-centered behaviors that would lead any responsible judge to throw the book at you. And here is God, loving and forgiving and embracing and renewing and bearing with and helping and sustaining and changing you and more and more and more. What unfathomable, incredible love!

In the safety and strength of that love, you can put aside all your anger and pain, and love even those who have done you wrong. And if you can love even those folks with the love that God has for you, what can you do for the people you actually like?

It will be fun to see, no?

July Exercise: Download "Called to Be Witnesses." For the first week (July 1-11), read this little brochure over several times each day. On several days during this period, rate yourself - 1 to 10 - on the two areas, A Way of Life and Empowered for Witness. Talk with the Lord about why you rated yourself the way you did, and look for ways to improve these two aspects of your call to be holy.

Today in ReVision: Muslims in Space - NASA in wonderland with our Cheshire President. Go figure.

This Week's Download: Called to Be Witnesses - Get it now, and start in the July exercise which will take on a new phase next week.

And visit our book store to see what all's available to encourage you in the Lord. We love you and thank you for your friendship and support.

T. M. Moore, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.