Sunday, October 18, 2009

Our response to evil done

1 Cor 13:5 You made this stand out as I was reading this chapter.
"It (love) is not conceited-arrogant and inflated with pride; it is not rude (unmannerly). Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it-pays no attention to a suffered wrong."

“the evil done to it”.
You are saying that if someone really does an evil thing to us we do not take account of it. That made me think of my persecuted brothers and sisters in China, N Korea, and other countries where Your beloveds are being thrown in jail or murdered for meeting together to worship or sharing Jesus. Your love enables them not to take account of it but as VOM encourages them, to pray for them and love them. That is amazing.
Also, if we have suffered a wrong which could be even by a friend, or what we consider an offensive word spoken or thing done toward us, we are to not take it into account at all. Wow.
This is only possible by a heart infused with Your divine love.

“For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect) and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect). "
This reminds me that we only know in part what is in the heart of other people; we don’t know everything that is in their feelings, thoughts, and life. Not only that, but our knowledge of You, of Your word is only known in part. The depths of truth in You and Your word are deep enough to last more than a 1000 lifetimes. And deep enough to heal the hurt done by evil.
You end the chapter by saying that love is the greatest of faith, hope, and love.
1 Cor 13:13 ….“love, true affection for God and man, growing out of God’s love for and in us”…..
This is what You are teaching us. It is all about Your divine love dwelling within us that changes and transforms these hearts of ours. They are daily renewed by Your love.
Thank You Father for the wonderful super abundant grace that enables us to grow in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ toward His own.
How great a God You are!

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