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Thursday, February 28, 2013

Abounding Love

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.  Philippians 1:9-11
So this is my prayer; that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well.  Learn to love appropriately   You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush.  Live a lover's life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God. (The Message Bible)

We need to pursue love as a commitment and an action, not just a positive feeling.  Jesus is our model.  Love pursues the words and actions that bring the best of everything to the beloved.   We must test our love to make sure that we are not ultimately only loving ourselves but truly loving others.  Do we love merely to be loved?  Do we love to make Jesus "attractive to all"?   Do we love from our soul's great union with our Lover, Jesus.

Jesus, increase my love.  Deepen my love affair with you.   May I become so lost in Your love that I love well, that I love from a Deep well.   Test my heart Lord; purify it from the tyranny of the self-life.   Make Your love so good and perfect in me that it attracts people to You.  



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