Source: The One Year: Worship the King by Chris Tiegreen Read: Ephesians 5:1-2 Nowhere in The New Testament is love defined simply as a common human emotion. Biblically, love is much more radical than that. It extends farther more than the world's love- to enemies and strangers; and it also goes deeper- to sacrificial offerings of adoration. We love because God adamantly insists that we be like Him. Think of Jesus' love: He embraced cheaters and prostitutes. He touched lepers and dead people. He is sometimes tender and sometimes very harsh. He always told the truth, even when it hurt. He loved sinners but hated sin. He let people self destruct-Pharisees, insincere seekers, Peter in his denial-never compromising principles for the sake of sentiment. He was incredibly patient with hardheaded disciples. AND HE BLED. Does that description of Jesus' love reflect the kind of love we show each other in the church and in the world? Probably not. We have a long way to go. BU
I desire no other identity other than being called a child of God.