What's Love Got To Do With It?

One of the many perks from working in a church office is that we share chapel time together every Tuesday morning. It's a time for the staff to come together, hear a devotion, and pray for the needs within our church family. Last week, our guest speaker poured out such a tremendous challenge that it's been "chewing" on me ever since. Let me begin by sharing the text he used:

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love ..." (Ephesians 5:1-2a)

His challenge was two-fold, based on God's Word:
1) Imitate God
2) Live a life of love

If you're like me, you are already thinking one word: IMPOSSIBLE! When I consider my behavior at times, it is far from imitating God. And living a life of love? That's easy when it's people we like - but what about those who have done us wrong? What about people who have been intentional in taking a jab or a stab at our lives, or of those we love?

Sorry, Tina ... I just had to borrow this line from your ever so popular song from years ago because it's a question worthy of answering this morning.

Based on God's Word ... love has EVERYTHING to do with it. Listen to the rest of Ephesians 5:2 ... "just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." At some point in your life ... you must consider that God's love has everything to do with your life and how He wants you to live your life.

It was God's love that gave you life.
It is God's love that gives you each day.
It will be God's love that holds everything together.

And even more than that ...

It was God's love that created you and me with eternity in mind.
It is God's love that saves us and gives us a relationship with Christ ... both now and forevermore.
It will be God's love that lives in us and through us that can make a difference in this crazy mixed up world.

At some point in our lives, we are confronted with God's great love. Maybe it's through a difficult season, or maybe it's through a time of great celebration. God's love often sneaks up on us ... and other times, it pours out like a Georgia thunderstorm.

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" (1 John 3:9)

The best thing we can do with God's love, friends, is receive it. And upon receiving it, we can freely give it. When we give it, we are acting like Him. We are imitating God. I love that.

Love has everything to do with today. How we live ... how we react. How we respond has everything to do with what we think and believe about God's love for us.

"For God so loved Rhonda." (John 3:16) Go ahead and put your name in there. Think about it today. God SO loves you. I believe He wants us to love Him right back by imitating Him and living a life of His love this very day. His love ... not what we can muster up. His love isn't based on circumstances. His love isn't revolved on how we are treated by others. His love isn't tied to everything working out the way we want it to. His love is based on one thing: The Cross of Jesus Christ.

Next time you hear Tina's song, remind yourself that love has everything to do with it.