Pursue love….It’s Thanksgiving and the launch of the holiday season! That means today, and for the next month or so, we’ll be sharing joy and cheer with lots of people! You know what that means? We’ll have all kinds of opportunities to walk in love! In fact, great opportunities to pursue love!
(1 Cor. 14:1 NKJV)
Who do we get to love? Perhaps…dysfunctional family members? Hurting people? Unpleasant clerks? Hurried shoppers? Stressed out co-workers? Envious neighbors? Jealous in-laws? Hormonal teenagers or pre-menopausal women? Anxious bread-winners? Sad friends? Confused college kids? Grumpy grandparents? Ungrateful employees? A demanding boss? Wacky uncle?
What’s the secret for relating with all of the people we will encounter? Two words: Pursue love. This will be the simplest thing to remember and the hardest thing to do!
What does love look like? Fortunately, God has given us His definition – and man-oh-man is the bar set high! If you want to pursue love this holiday season, read 1 Corinthians 13 and prepare for a “jerk-the-slack-out, help-me-Jesus” moment…
Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].”It’s a tall order, isn’t it? Reread this passage, but this time replace the word “love” with your name. Let’s pray for God’s help as we pursue love with everyone in our sphere.
(1 Cor. 13:4-8, AMP)
Say This: Father, help me! I believe Your love has been placed into my heart and I ask You to help me yield to it. I choose to pursue love with those in my world. Help me to bite my tongue, keep my attitude in check and pour out Your love to those around me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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