Love as a means to a Lighting Experience
Today we would share some thought on the theme: Love as a Means to a Lighting Experience. The goal is to see how love is instrumental to increasing our experience of God. Coincidentally, tomorrow the 14th is remarkable for celebrating Love. If we truly celebrate love so graciously over the world, every year, why don’t we encounter this lighting experience as needed?
We would commence with an insight into what Psalm 36 tells us about Love. Click below for the full text of Psalm 36.
21 Day Lighting Experience – Psalm 36 (GNT)
Human Wickedness
Sin speaks to the wicked deep in their hearts; they reject God and do not have reverence for him. 2 Because they think so highly of themselves, they think that God will not discover their sin and condemn it. 3 Their speech is wicked and full of lies; they no longer do what is wise and good. 4 They make evil plans as they lie in bed; nothing they do is good, and they never reject anything evil.
The Goodness of God
5 Lord, your constant love reaches the heavens; your faithfulness extends to the skies. 6 Your righteousness is towering like the mountains; your justice is like the depths of the sea. People and animals are in your care. 7 How precious, O God, is your constant love! We find[b] protection under the shadow of your wings. 8 We feast on the abundant food you provide; you let us drink from the river of your goodness. 9 You are the source of all life, and because of your light we see the light. 10 Continue to love those who know you and to do good to those who are righteous. 11 Do not let proud people attack me or the wicked make me run away. 12 See where evil people have fallen. There they lie, unable to rise.
The psalmist expresses the perfection of God’s love made abundant for man. The psalmist attempts to measure the size or the extent of God’s love. He tries to show how great this love is. Unfortunately, the eyes have its limitation. The psalm says; “Lord, your constant love reaches the heavens.” The farthest the eye can go is the heavens. However, the word “heavens” (in plural) has a deeper meaning, which we won’t delve into in this reflection.
Another point to note is the frequency of God’s love. The word “constant” is used to express frequency. The way I see it is that when God loves, he doesn’t do half measure neither is he unfaithful. His love can be trusted. So the Psalmist follows with the next sentence; “your faithfulness extends to the sky.” So what is the height of God’s love and faithfulness? The truth is that we can never measure it. If we look at the synonym of the word constant we find; continuous, endless, persistent, relentless, perpetual, unbroken, unceasing. If we truly understand God’s love, can we but not love him in return? Lord, help me to truly love you too, immeasurably. Amen!
How we reciprocate God’s love is often the distinction between the good person (righteous) and the bad person (unrighteous). How we show love to God, or better still, show love to God’s creation; the property of God, is worthy of note. For example, you can’t say you like, respect or love a person and treat the person badly or even treat his / her property badly. One way people show their detest or disrespect for someone is to treat them or their property badly. So how do you show love to God?
Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud.
We show love to God by acknowledging his word and reverencing him. This is not the case with the unrighteous man presented in our Psalm for reflection. He is proud; rejects God and has no reverence for him. Jesus said, if you love me, you must keep my commandments. This commandment is to love one another!
We are all called to open our hearts to love. Our hearts must be rid of pride before we can truly love. If a proud heart cannot love God what would it love except itself? This is why Paul explains that love does not boast (is not proud) in 1st Corinthians 13:4. We must acquire humility of heart to truly love the way God wants us to. This is explicitly presented in the Gospel of John chapter 13. Jesus had to show his disciples how to truly love and how to truly live.
Read the full text of John Chapter 13 below
21 Day Lighting Experience – John Chapter 13
13 It was now the day before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. He had always loved those in the world who were his own, and he loved them to the very end. 2 Jesus and his disciples were at supper. The Devil had already put into the heart of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, the thought of betraying Jesus.[a] 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him complete power; he knew that he had come from God and was going to God. 4 So he rose from the table, took off his outer garment, and tied a towel around his waist. 5 Then he poured some water into a washbasin and began to wash the disciples' feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Are you going to wash my feet, Lord?” 7 Jesus answered him, “You do not understand now what I am doing, but you will understand later.” 8 Peter declared, “Never at any time will you wash my feet!” “If I do not wash your feet,” Jesus answered, “you will no longer be my disciple.” 9 Simon Peter answered, “Lord, do not wash only my feet, then! Wash my hands and head, too!” 10 Jesus said, “Those who have taken a bath are completely clean and do not have to wash themselves, except for their feet.[b] All of you are clean—all except one.” (11 Jesus already knew who was going to betray him; that is why he said, “All of you, except one, are clean.”) 12 After Jesus had washed their feet, he put his outer garment back on and returned to his place at the table. “Do you understand what I have just done to you?” he asked. 13 “You call me Teacher and Lord, and it is right that you do so, because that is what I am. 14 I, your Lord and Teacher, have just washed your feet. You, then, should wash one another's feet. 15 I have set an example for you, so that you will do just what I have done for you. 16 I am telling you the truth: no slaves are greater than their master, and no messengers are greater than the one who sent them. 17 Now that you know this truth, how happy you will be if you put it into practice! 18 “I am not talking about all of you; I know those I have chosen. But the scripture must come true that says, ‘The man who shared my food turned against me.’ 19 I tell you this now before it happens, so that when it does happen, you will believe that ‘I Am Who I Am.’ 20 I am telling you the truth: whoever receives anyone I send receives me also; and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.”
Jesus Predicts His Betrayal
21 After Jesus had said this, he was deeply troubled and declared openly, “I am telling you the truth: one of you is going to betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, completely puzzled about whom he meant. 23 One of the disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was sitting next to Jesus. 24 Simon Peter motioned to him and said, “Ask him whom he is talking about.” 25 So that disciple moved closer to Jesus' side and asked, “Who is it, Lord?” 26 Jesus answered, “I will dip some bread in the sauce and give it to him; he is the man.” So he took a piece of bread, dipped it, and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “Hurry and do what you must!” 28 None of the others at the table understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Since Judas was in charge of the money bag, some of the disciples thought that Jesus had told him to go and buy what they needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. 30 Judas accepted the bread and went out at once. It was night.
The New Commandment
31 After Judas had left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man's glory is revealed; now God's glory is revealed through him. 32 And if God's glory is revealed through him, then God will reveal the glory of the Son of Man in himself, and he will do so at once. 33 My children, I shall not be with you very much longer. You will look for me; but I tell you now what I told the Jewish authorities, ‘You cannot go where I am going.’ 34 And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 If you have love for one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples.”
Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial
36 “Where are you going, Lord?” Simon Peter asked him. “You cannot follow me now where I am going,” answered Jesus; “but later you will follow me.” 37 “Lord, why can't I follow you now?” asked Peter. “I am ready to die for you!” 38 Jesus answered, “Are you really ready to die for me? I am telling you the truth: before the rooster crows you will say three times that you do not know me.
The chapter commences with Jesus washing the foot of the disciples. This is a rare gesture! But it is one worthy of emulation. In fact, Jesus advises that we do as he has done. Jesus gives us the recipe for leadership; for leading our families; for leading a beautiful relationship; a recipe for true love and a life of freedom. This is an express message to our leaders that leadership is a call to love. If you can stoop low to serve your servant, you would be able to take the betrayal, denials and pains they may cause you. And above all, you would still love them. Jesus tells us that our humility does not make us lower – he who is above is above! A servant cannot be greater than his master so don’t be afraid to be humble and show love.
I don’t know how Jesus found this out… but pride and ego is the biggest thief of our love life, relationship and leadership role. If we are willing to have very fruitful and successful relationships, we must put down our pride and ego and be willing to serve others, even our subordinates; our spouse, our children, our family and friends, without expecting anything in return.
By tomorrow the 14th, a lot of persons would be professing an undying love. How high is their love? How long would it take before they betray their partners again? Remember, true love is constant, even after the denials. We deny God several times but his love is constant. He stoops low to save us and allow his son to die for us. John 3:16 For “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.” This quote should make more sense to you now.
This should be our little recipe or guide for all those planning to profess some love today or tomorrow. If you are not ready to be humble, you can’t love, so don’t profess love. Do not be the wicked man as stated in the Psalmist who plans evil for others. In loving, you have accepted to respect the property of the other person, which includes their heart.
As we conclude, we must reiterate this new commandment which Jesus gives to us all. This commandment is not set for a particular day. It is a principle to live by. We are called to love one another as Jesus has loved us. How has Jesus loved us/you? Please send in your comment on this. We are called to love, to really distinguish ourselves from the wicked. We are called to let our lighting experience shine around the world. We are called to love so that God’s glory would be felt.
Join us tomorrow, 14th February for Lighting Experience – Day 14
Speechlesswaters