THE POWER OF LOVE
“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 NIV
In his first letter to the Corinth Church, Paul writes 3 things that are imperative to the life of the believer “faith, hope and love” but emphasizes that of all three, love is greater.
The greek word for love used here is ‘agape’. Agape means many things like good will, benevolence, affectionate, unconditional, sacrificial among many but the consistent theme across all these synonyms is that it’s unconditional.
In our theme scripture, the apostle exhorts us to love one another deeply because only then can we be able to forgive one another. We all know that among humans, there will inevitably be offense, hurt, or something done wrong by you or to you; and because it is not in us to entirely resist the evil law in our members the Lord offered us a way around it: to love unconditionally.
Loving unconditionally means you have pre decided to forgive, to disregard the offenses that are bound to come regardless of how grave they may be. This does not of course mean negating the pain and disappointment, neither does it absolve the offender from the consequences of their actions but it keeps you from placing judgement upon another for God alone can judge.
Child of God, the Bible tells us none can condemn for Christ is the one that died and rose that we may all be saved. We are called to love because we were loved first (1 John 4:19). Hallelujah!
Prayer: Father I thank you for this word. I thank you for enabling me to love others into restoration just as you have restored and forgiven me. Soften my heart towards those whom it’s been hardened and stir me to see them as you do. May it be said of me that I loved well, in Jesus mighty name. Amen!
CI.
