2 Peter 3:18 - Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to Him, both now and forever! Amen.
When we are growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, we learn to love like Jesus loves. This is something that should be on the top of all of our lists.
I have to be honest, when I first started my walk with Jesus a few years ago, I didn't really get the whole "love" thing. Being a product of a fallen world, people just really annoyed me and the last thing I wanted to do was love them. When I really started to study Scripture, I did it because I knew that God had instructed us to, and I was only concerned with a relationship with Him. The first time I came across the passage in Matthew 22, where Jesus said that we are to love God and our neighbor as ourselves and that everything was centered around these two commandments (Matthew 22:37-40), I knew I was in trouble. I was only interested in God, not all these other annoying people.
But something has happened to me over the last few years. God really has worked on my heart, just as He said He would. He has transformed me into someone that strives to follow both of these commandments that Jesus gave us. I have come to the realization that loving my neighbor IS loving God. We are all God's people (whether we accept it or not).
Jesus' words in Matthew 25:40 really strike a chord with me. The way we treat those we deem "the least" of our brothers and sisters, is how we treat Jesus. If I'm not following that second command from Jesus in Matthew 22, then it's not possible for me to follow His first command. Although I have read both of these passages several times over the last few years, I never really had that "light bulb moment". This only comes from learning more about God through prayer, study, and solid teaching. That is how we begin to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ and really learn to love the way He has always wanted us to.
I know I am certainly not perfect, and I will slip in this area from time to time. People will annoy me, and I will more than likely let them know about it too. But there's another great thing about the grace and knowledge of Jesus. He will forgive me. This doesn't give me free reign to be a jerk, but it does give me comfort in knowing that God will forgive me when I confess, repent, and ask for His forgiveness. What an awesome Savior we serve. How could I not love Him?!
Dear Abba Father, thank You for teaching me to love like You love. I pray that I will always be able to show love to everyone the way You have shown me love and the way You show us all love. I know that I will make mistakes and fall short, but I am grateful for Your grace that picks me back up and puts me back on the path You have always had for me. I pray for those that don't know how to love like You love. My prayer is that they will seek You in Your Word and through prayer and great teaching so that they will grow in the grace and knowledge of You, and truly learn how to love. I pray this in Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
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