THURSDAY July 8, 2021
Experiencing God’s Love
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 4:10
When Christians do not have the love of Christ, problems will arise. It is all too easy to fall back into their old ways. They begin to walk in the flesh, act harshly, condemn others, and curse at people. Christians are to love others––to forgive and forget. If people are to truly experience God’s love, then forgiveness becomes a very important action in the life of the believer.
In Matthew 6, Jesus taught His disciples to pray using a model prayer. Within the prayer, Jesus said to them: “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). After the conclusion of His prayer, Jesus gave a stern warning: “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15).
Forgiving someone is a very hard thing to do, but you are commanded to do it. Seriously, Jesus taught you to: “...love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you...” (Matthew 5:44).
In prayer, God desires that you would be honest about the way you feel about a person who has hurt you. Ask God to help you forgive and love them. He desires that your heart be right before Him. Then you can have peace. Leave the situation in the hands of God, allowing Him to speak to their hearts.
When you obey God’s Word, you will find this is where the love of Christ is emitted to those who are perishing: For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing (2 Corinthians 2:15). They need to experience God’s love through your act of forgiveness. If you do not love your families, your enemies, and those lost in this evil world, they will perish.
It is only with God’s love that we can love one another, not only the lovable but the terribly unlovable.
~A.W. Tozer~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
