January 7, 2015
Smelling Good
Ephesians 5:1-2
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
Live a life filled with love...There’s a New Year’s Resolution right there!
Love is so important it’s almost all the Apostle John writes about.
1 John4:20-21
If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers. (And he had already wrote this same exact message in 1 John 2.)
Unconditionally loving one another is how families operate in their prime, so certainly it is how God’s family should be operating.
And Jesus gives startling instructions about love in Matthew 5:43-44. You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!
I must admit that loving everyone like Jesus does and John instructs is a tall order. There are some people that I frankly do not know what to do with, what to offer, or how to show love. So I have taken to prayer. For me spending time praying for someone is the absolute best way to show love for them. They’ll never know it as there is no physical evidence unless you count the evidence that shows up in my previously hardened heart!
Dear God,
I want my life to smell good to you by how I interact with people and loving them like you say. Thank you for your love for me, and I truly desire to not take that for granted by loving others in return. You are so great and greatly to be praised and I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
Smelling Good
Ephesians 5:1-2
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
Live a life filled with love...There’s a New Year’s Resolution right there!
Love is so important it’s almost all the Apostle John writes about.
1 John4:20-21
If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers. (And he had already wrote this same exact message in 1 John 2.)
Unconditionally loving one another is how families operate in their prime, so certainly it is how God’s family should be operating.
And Jesus gives startling instructions about love in Matthew 5:43-44. You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!
I must admit that loving everyone like Jesus does and John instructs is a tall order. There are some people that I frankly do not know what to do with, what to offer, or how to show love. So I have taken to prayer. For me spending time praying for someone is the absolute best way to show love for them. They’ll never know it as there is no physical evidence unless you count the evidence that shows up in my previously hardened heart!
Dear God,
I want my life to smell good to you by how I interact with people and loving them like you say. Thank you for your love for me, and I truly desire to not take that for granted by loving others in return. You are so great and greatly to be praised and I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
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