“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
– Psalm 139:23,24
Yesterday, we talked about what it looks like when love is contaminated by desire or fear on the part of the one giving it and how that can be harmful to the person on the receiving end. The reality is that agape love is pure. In English, agape literally means with mouth wide open in wonder, so in our Christian tradition, agape love is the most wonderful, unconditional kind; the type that transcends circumstances and causes our hearts to rise to God in wonder and thanksgiving. This is the love that Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13 — the stuff that makes our souls come alive! To further enable you to understand agape love, I’m going to give you a visual image. Think of a can of paint in your very favorite color, in a hue that is vibrant and perfect. Once you can see that color, envision what would happen if someone walked by with an open can of black paint and accidentally spilled some of it into your ideal shade. My guess is that the perfect color you had in front of you would quickly become muddled and perhaps turn into something completely different. What was once vibrant would likely look dirtied and muted. This is exactly what happens when perfect love is contaminated by selfish desire! Friend, agape love and self-serving wants cannot coexist! As soon as you put your own needs ahead of the one you are serving and do it in the name of love, the vibrancy of agape’s wonderful hue is dulled and it becomes muddled and dirty. In order for love to exist in its highest form, it must put the needs, feelings, and well-being of the person receiving it ahead of its own gain. The only way this happens is through death to self, which we will talk more about soon. |
Prayer
I want to love others, Jesus, in the same manner in which you love me. Search my heart and remove any selfish desires that contaminate my ability to love purely.
Reflection
Think of a few people in your life who you love and how they were each created to reflect a perfect hue, or unique element of God’s character. Are your selfish desires spilling black paint into the agape love you could show them (the type that would make them shine even more brightly)?
If you’re unable to attend your local church or need some additional weekly inspiration, be sure to tune into Hour of Power every Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. PT on TBN or watch online at hourofpower.org/episode.
One Response
I did not receive this devotional via my regular email route–I searched the internet for it. I look forward every day for the email from Bobby. I signup every time I am asked to. I hope that Bobby is enjoying his vacation…..