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Nurtured by a Life of Love
Are your fears still alive? Then, may all your fears be banished-swallowed up by a life of love-God’s unique love. Only his love has the power to truly deal a death blow to fear. Yes, all fears! Fears of failure, death, future, judgment, lack, loss, rejection: every fear known to man is toothless in the face of the loving Lion of Judah.
“God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.
We, though, are going to love—love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first.” 1 John 4:17-19, The Message. A life of love is the ultimate hope of every man and woman who has ever lived. Why does it seem to be so elusive? Could it be because we wrestle with God being the only true source? To love is to live in him. To live a life of love we must live in God and him in us. And he causes us to love any and all.
“If anyone boasts, “I love God,” and goes right on hating (not fully loving) his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won’t love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can’t see? Loving God includes loving people. You’ve got to love both. 1 John 4: 20-21, The Message (parenthesis mine). There are no options or negations in true love. It is the way it is-all or none.
Our fears, prejudices and judgments must be swallowed whole by Papa’s love. His love will leave no wiggle room. His quality/manner of love is wholly unique and totally ‘other’ than anything else that holds itself out as ‘love’. Imagine this-the greatest aspect of his love is that through the love of God our standing in the world is identical to Christ’s. By receiving and living in this love, we will have total confidence on the day of reckoning, when all will give account. It would be prudent to invite this love to have the run of your house and become mature in it now! Be nurtured by a life of love.