Day 16 - What Matters Most

Evelyn Sanders Walker

Everyone Needs Love

Scripture references:

I Corinthians 13:3b (Msg)

No matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

2 John 1:6 (NCV)

Love means living the way God commanded us to live.  As you have heard from the beginning, his command is this: Live a life full of love. As I began reading this chapter, I thought it was rather ironic that I would have to share about love.  Not just any type of love, but the ultimate love. That of the love of God. I found myself going through an experience in a profound relationship in my life. I wanted to be very bitter and unforgiving about what I as going through with this person, but I realized that even though I was hurt by what was said to me from this person, I still as a representative of the Kingdom of Heaven, had to forgive them. I had to release them from the wrong and hurt they caused,  I had to let go of the bitterness and let them see the God in me.

Now I know you may be thinking, why would you do that? You being hurt and angry is justifiable, but I beg to differ. How many times have we as children of God, knowing to do better, hurt Him?  Have been angry with him and have even held unforgiveness towards him and yet HE has still loved us? He has still been concerned about us? He has still cared and longed for us to get back into that place of rightness with Him? Back into relationship with Him? How many times has His anger and wrath been justified against us but he withheld it?  Sometimes we are deserving of it, but He doesn’t want to destroy us and push us away, He wants to discipline us through His love and draw us closer to Him. 

This person, I didn’t want to destroy them or hurt them the way they hurt me, believe it or not. I always wanted to be a light to them, so that they could see God in me. To see his love, shining and bursting out of me. I wanted them to want to experience this great love that I have with my Daddy-God.  I wanted them to know HIM the way that I know him and seek to know him even the more. Yes, I was heart-broken, but My God, is the healer of the broken hearted, yes He is. 

Some weeks later this person came back into my life. Very broken and repentant. I didn’t turn them away and say you hurt me and I can’t forgive you because I could forgive them. Matter of fact, I had already forgiven them. Isn’t that what our Father does? He forgives.  What better way to showforth His amazing love than through forgiveness?

I am so glad that His love is in me. That I consider his ways before my own when dealing with His children and even those who don’t acknowledge him, so that they will feel his love through me and be drawn to that light and desire it for their own lives.

Verse to Remember: "The entire law is summed up in a single command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Galatians 5:14 (NIV)