Mat 5:46 For
if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans
the same?
Truthfully, it's
easy to love those who love us, isn't it? I mean those who really love us, not
those who pretend to love us. Okay, maybe it's not easy to love anyone. Could
this be a sign of the times? We do know this…
Mat_24:12 And
because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
And this…
Mat 24:10 And
then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one
another.
And this…
Mat 10:21 And
the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child:
and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put
to death.
Mat 10:22 And
ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the
end shall be saved.
Love is going to be
in very short supply when our Savior returns. Love how we imagine love is
supposed to be- the giving- not receiving sort, is definitely waxing cold. You
may be able to point at lots of examples of the kindness of people towards one
another and they may be genuine who am I to judge. I hear about a lot kindness,
I'm the recipient of a lot of kindness- of love. And if I love those who love
me while not loving those who hate me and revile me, and persecute me, what
then? If I put conditions on MY love and all that love entails, I'm not loving
unconditionally. I'm not loving as Jesus loves. Jesus loves us so much He died
for us SINNERS. Jesus did not die for perfect people. Jesus died to save the
sinners, wanting those sinners to repent of their sins and seek forgiveness in
Him. Jesus wants us to find our HOPE in HIM.
Jesus wants us to LOVE as He loves.
Jesus said this--
Luk_23:34 Then
said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they
parted his raiment, and cast lots.
Those who had
crucified Him, those who had nailed Him to the cross--Father forgive them!
Jesus wanted forgiveness for those who were murdering Him.
We need to love and
not just those who make it easy, not those who make it difficult because they
impose upon out self-centeredness, but all… we need to love all. All includes
strangers, all includes the hateful, all includes the worst of the worst. We can
HATE what they do, but love them in Jesus' love, and that means Jesus wanting
them to find forgiveness in Him, and through Him salvation. It's not a matter
of deserving salvation because NONE of us do from the greatest sinner to the
least. It's a matter of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior- and His
forgivingness, His willingness to love us in spite of our sins- LOVE.
All through JESUS
CHRIST OUR LORD and SAVIOR NOW and FOREVER!
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