Love is a rose whose fragrance overshadows its thorns. It’s a seed which when sown lies hidden, patiently awaiting the flower of its beloved. Love is the tear in Compassion’s eye, the smile on Mercy’s lips, and the warmth of Understanding’s embrace. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.
My heart’s desire is for our Father’s love to be perfected in me. I want to be clothed with compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience. I want these virtues to literally emanate from me as God sheds His love abroad in my heart. If I never see another miracle, at least let me love my wife as though she were my own body; let me love my neighbor as though I were loving myself; let me love my brothers and sisters and all my enemies as I have been loved, — kindly, patiently, unselfishly, and unconditionally.
I believe that as we walk in love and work from love we are planting seeds that might one day grow to become sturdy oaks. I believe we are pervading the earth with the fragrant aroma of the Spirit of Jesus. (The Holy Spirit tells me now the creation appreciates the children of God.) I believe love is of God and we are of God if we love one another as He has loved us. And God loved us not in word, but in deed, by sending His only begotten Son to redeem us and reconcile us to Himself, that He might bestow upon us His exceeding great and precious promises. I long for His love to be perfected in me!
Our works of love, whether they be toward our spouse, our neighbor, or our enemy are never in vain. They speak volumes throughout eternity even as I write. Our God is not confined by time. At this very moment He exists before time, He exists today, and He exists forever. Since love is of Him, the works we do in love ring through the ages.
The spirit of love is the Spirit of the Lamb, giving oneself for the sake of others. May we live, breathe, and walk in the Spirit of the Lamb. May we take His yoke upon us and learn of Him. May we assimilate His ways in our dealings with our spouses, our neighbors, our brothers and sisters, and even our enemies. May we always be true children of God.
So many people want to evangelize the world — so few are willing to love their neighbors as themselves. So many want to exercise power and authority in the name of Jesus — so few are willing to humble themselves and learn obedience through the things which they suffer. So many want to speak on behalf of the King of kings and Lord of lords — so few are willing to stand in silence with the meek and lowly Lamb, bearing all things, believing all things, hoping all things, enduring all things. So many are called — so few are chosen.
Dear friends, faith moves mountains — love moves men: May we be true fishers of men. Let us pervade the earth with the fragrant aroma of the Spirit of Jesus, loving one another from the heart, in deed and in truth. May the world come to know we are true disciples of the Son of God.
Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant
jondavidbanks.com 