The Centrality of Love Amidst our Community

Sam Storms writes in his book, The Hope of Glory:  "There's simply no escaping the centrality of love in the community of God's people."  (p. 271)
He is quoting Colossians 3:14 where it concludes:  "...put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."
He explains that 'perfect harmony' conveys the meaning of maturity or completeness.
He expounds that Paul is saying "that love is the grace or power that holds all the others [virtues] together."  He calls it "spiritual lubricant', 'glue that unites....', and 'the mortar that holds...'
He concludes, "it isn't so much the virtues of individual Christians" that bind us together as unique and different as we are, but it is the power of the affection that does! (p. 272, 273)

A Worthy Saying

"Love without ceasing.
Give without measure.
Who can exhaust God's limitless treasure?"
~Malcolm Schloss

Extremist for Love

Martin Luther King, Jr. said in writing from the Birmingham jail (April 16, 1963):

"So the question is not whether we will be extremist but what kind of extremist will we be. Will we be extremists for hate or will we be extremists for love?"

It's extreme to love. If you are going to be an extremist for anything, the best thing to be extreme for is LOVE. Let that be the only accusation "they" can level at you.

Divine Encounters

The Pastor said, "Let the Jesus in me love the Jesus in you, and let the Jesus in you love the Jesus in me."

How simple if we would remember that.

Look for a bit of the Divine in everyone you encounter. It's there. Are you looking?

Toby Mac singing "Made To Love"

It's good to remember: We were made to love!

Wrath as a Function of Love

"Indeed, one may speak of divine wrath as a function of divine love. For God's wrath is his love for holiness and truth and justice. It is because God passionately loves purity and peace and perfection that he reacts angrily toward anything and anyone who defiles them." (p. 239, The Hope of Glory, Sam Storms)

We forget love implies wrath toward anything going against that love.

Love is so strong. Love's desire is only for the best. It fights for what is best!