Today is a day when many demonstrate their affection with what I consider a powerful weapon. It is the weapon of love. I know that we don’t refer to love in this way, but we should! It has the ability to knock down the walls of division, break the root of bitterness, and impart forgiveness. I suppose it is why Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:36-39 NIV
The Bible further expounds on the state of not loving. Something like 1 Corinthians 13:1 NKJV “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or clanging cymbal.” Sounding brass or clanging cymbal surely would not be music to our ears. I think that this kind of noise would cause a response that would be more in keeping with running for cover.
As I write this morning, I am thinking of three words that I think are splendid together. Those words are peace, unity, and love. They are words that accomplish more together than they do alone.
Love without peace is not love. Unity without love is not unity. And peace without unity and love will not stand on its own.
We don’t need a special occasion to show love with flowers, or with cards, we just need to love as Jesus commanded. Peace will follow, bringing unity along with it, and the ever present love will not be far behind.
My prayer for us this day is simple. We just need to love and remember that we love because God first loved us!
John 3:16 CSB “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.”