Feb 15, 2023, Love is like ...

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9 + 11 (New International Version)

Dear Readers,

Love is not a theory but should be lived every day in a very practical way. Paul speaks of four elements that make up this love:

1.Insight or knowledge: it is about learning more and more about God. More and more to understand God's nature (if this is possible at all). More and more, to know God's will. This can only be achieved by reading the Word of God in worship and letting myself be guided by the Spirit of God.

2. Understanding: this means insight. We are to get a spiritual perspective. We should be able to see to the bottom of things. We should learn to understand what is really happening before our eyes. This makes us free from manipulation. In this way, we can better resist temptations.

3.Good deeds or justice: what we do must stand up in front of God's eyes. This excludes corruption or bending of the law or sexual violence. God will hold us accountable for what we do. He wants justice against everyone!

4.Only the Lord Jesus Christ can establish knowledge, spiritual insight, and good deeds in us. The Holy Spirit works with His power so that we can glorify the Almighty God through this love. No human being can do this on his own power.

Let me illustrate this with an example:

Occasionally I make my own bread. For this I take the following ingredients: Flour, lukewarm water, yeast, sugar, and salt. From these ingredients I mix a yeast dough and let it rise in a bowl on a warm place.  Finally, I form it into a lump of dough and put it in the preheated oven. This step is very important! I need a hot oven to bake bread. The dough needs at least 360 ° F, so that it can become a good crusty bread.

I can't heat the lump of dough within my own hands. My body temperature would never be high enough to achieve that! So, I need the high heat of an oven! It is the same with the love of God. No human being can create this love out by himself. The ordinary man will just never be able to do it. Only Jesus Christ alone can ignite this love in our heart through the Holy Spirit. Only HE can make us an "oven of God's love".

In the Gospel of Luke Lk. 12, 49 (New International Version) Jesus Christ says: ‘I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” Jesus wants to ignite His spiritual fire in us. HE wants a heart of love to burn within us. Only in this way are we able to honor God!

I would like to invite you to turn Berta Schmidt-Eller's song into your prayer:

Lord, light your fire in my heart.
Let it burn brightly for you, dear Savior.
Let what I am and have belong to you.
Into your hands enclose me firmly.

Source of life and source of joy,
you light the darkness in my soul.
You hear my prayer, you help me out of all distress.
Jesus, my Savior, my Lord and my God.

I wish for you that this love will fill your life ever more richly. I wish for you that this love overflows your heart.