Love and Joy

In my last blog entry I talked about the truth that God is not only loving and lovely but God is pure, simple, complete love (1 John 4:8 & 16). The Bible teaches alot about love. In fact the New Testament teaches a new commandment: John 13:34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. Verse 35 adds, "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." The truth is I have found this "new" commandment difficult to follow at times. Quite frankly I have felt some people appeared to be unlovable. I am sure some people have felt the same about me. I know that I have highly offended one Costa Rican man whose son had a conflict with one of my sons. I did not mean to offend him but offend him I did. I thought, "Is there any reason to love everyone other than that the Bible commands it?" Of course if the Bible commands it, that really is the only reason we need. But I thought from a purely selfish point of view is there a reason we should love everyone? I think the answer is yes. John 15:10-12 says "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you."

So the Bible promises we will have full joy if we obey God's commandments and love other people even when we do not want to or feel like it. If you do not want to love people just because the Bible says to, then love them for purely selfish reasons so you too can have full joy. I can tell you that I want, I mean I really, really want, to have full joy in my life. Who doesn't? So I have resolved to put alot more effort into loving everyone, even those that I may think are unloveable(unlikeable). Maybe those people will start to love me in return. So I hope and pray that the next time you see me you will think I have more joy in my life.

These thoughts beg the question, "How do we know if we truly love people?"--Next time:-)

God Bless and God grant us the desire to love all people more.
Amen

Written by Tully