Perfected in Love
Devotion 2- Perfected in Love
1 Jn.4:18 – “There
is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves
torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”
It means that we
are exactly like Him in glory and nature. When we are perfected in love, our
heart beats to the heartbeat of God, our mind flows with the mind of Christ,
and our souls resonate with the compassion of Christ. There is no more fear as
we are perfectly one in Him. It is not our love but the love or glory of the God
that transforms us.
2 Cor.3:18 – “But we
all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the
Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory,
just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
Jn.1:16 – “And of His fullness we have all
received, and grace for grace.”
Love and glory
can only be received in proportion to the transformation of our inner
soul. We should learn to minister and walk only in the degree of light and love
that we have received. We can overstrain our physical muscles with too much
exercise, if we do it beyond our physical means. Likewise, it is also possible
to overstrain our spiritual and soul muscles through walking beyond our faith
and love levels. For that reason, many in their zeal to serve suffer burnout in
the ministry.
Understanding
that we grow in love and glory by stages, we should not feel too discouraged if
we find ourselves not walking perfectly in love all the time. Be patient with
ourselves and others as God is patient with us and others. We grow from grace
upon grace and glory to glory!
Where do we begin
in this walk of perfect love?
We begin by
loving others, including our enemies, like Jesus did. Then we will be perfect
in mercy like our Heavenly Father is perfect.
Matt.5:48 – “Therefore
you shall be perfect, just as
your Father in heaven is perfect.”
Christians who
are not willing to grow and walk in love are mere believers, not disciples.
Jn.13:34-35 – “A new
commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that
you also love one another. By
this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one
another.”
If we don’t take
time to grow in love, we have missed the most important part of this life.
Growing in love and growing in the glory of God are most fundamental in our
lives.
We will always
give time to what we deem the most important in our lives. Understand that
Jesus left us one great commandment, and that is the commandment to love one
another as He loved. We must schedule time to cultivate that into our lives.
We are made by Love, through Love & for Love
Col.1:16 – “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.”
In
this scripture, the word “Him” clearly refers to Christ. Christ is the
personification of Love. Therefore, we can also interpret this scripture as stating
that we are made by love, through love and for love. Hence, until and unless we
are fully filled with love, we can never reach our highest potential.
S.O.S 2:4; 6:4 – “He brought me to the banqueting
house, and his banner over me was love …”
In ancient times, when a King spreads and displays his banner (flag)
over a fortress, he is declaring his determination to protect that place. As
that flag waves in the breeze, it signifies that all the power and resources of
the king are pledged to defend and safeguard that fortress. And this is what
Jesus means when the Bible says that ‘His banner of love over the believing
soul’. All the resources of The Omnipotent--all the perfections of an infinite
God are enlisted for the safety of that soul.
When the Israelites fought the Amalekites at
Rephidim, Moses held up his hand, symbolizing God's presence to help His people
win the victory (Ex.17:8-16). After the battle, Moses built an altar and called
it "Jehovah-nissi" (The Lord Is My Banner).
S.O.S 6:4 – “O my
love, you are as beautiful as Tirzah, Lovely as Jerusalem,
awesome as an army with banners!”
S.O.S 6:10 – “Who is
she who looks forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, awesome as an army with banners?”
In S.O.S 6:4;10, the
Bride is compared with an army with banners. Three thousand years ago, Solomon
saw and prophesied about such a bride, an army willing to fight and die for the
gospel of love. However, we need to receive and
fully rest under that banner of His Love over us before we can mature to be an
army of banner for Him!
May the eternal and unconditional love of
God our Father and of our Lord Jesus Christ be our daily experience.
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