Brotherly Love
After being saved/born again/transformed, or whatever you prefer calling that indescribable experience of encountering God and being transformed from the kingdom of darkness to His unsearchable light, I remember so many changes happening in my life. One particular thing I remember so vividly is experiencing this new kind of love towards strangers.
I couldn't explain it. It was nothing like I had experienced previously. It was love and joy combined. I remember very well sitting on the sidewalk in the street watching the people pass by and I couldn't understand why I was feeling so much love towards them. I remember telling the friend who was with me who had observed those changes in my life never understanding them, that I was feeling like running around and hugging all these people on the street. If you know me and especially if you've known me then, you would know that is definitely not something I would say.
Don't get me wrong, I had many dear friends before that experience; people I enjoyed the company of, people I trusted, friends I've stuck with through thick and thin. But this was different. This was on a whole different level. This was sacrificial. This was greater than me. This was not of this world. This was God!
Over the years, I've seen the hatred, the rejection, the persecution, the ridicule that same love has undergone. I haven't treated it that well either. I had been reckless too; ignoring it or silencing it at times, and suppressing it every time fear takes a hold of me.
The Apostle Paul says do not grieve the Holy Spirit. Jesus says He knocks on the door asking to enter in and dine with us. A lukewarm heart is a disgusting heart. A heart on fire, a hear lit with flames of divine love, a self-giving heart, not a self-seeking heart is one that glorifies God. John puts it this way:
"We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him." (1 John 3:14-15)
As we mature in him and gain experience in our walk with God, we become more and more responsible of keeping watch on the state of our hearts and how passionate we are in our obedience to His heart's beats in us. It is the most precious thing we got. It's not the gifts, not the knowledge, not the miracles, the degrees, the meetings, the presence, the goosebumps, or the books and the albums, but the love of God abiding in us, it is Christ in us who is the hope of glory. He is worthy of our complete adoration, worship, and obedience. He truly is!
God loves us so much. One of the reasons I love the gift of prophecy is because I see how God loves and takes care of his children through that gift so clearly and beautifully. The same applies to all other gifts and offices of the church. God keeps on planting, feeding, empowering, pruning and reaping His harvest.
I pray that we'd be found among those who are not just called by his name but are found in the palm of His hand, found to be running hand in hand with Him, found to be loving orphans, loving close and far ones, loving enemies, not in any manner, but by His holy love, that's so precious, and that is what this hurting world needs so desperately.
"I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." (John 15:15)
In the letter to the Hebrews, we read that through the incarnation God has declared all of humanity to be of His family and that Jesus calls us His brothers and sisters:
"Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. He says, “I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters; in the assembly I will sing your praises."" (Hebrews 2:11-12)
I pray that we'd found with Jesus: suffering with Him and rejoicing with Him, in the great feast of Heaven. God bless you!
