Love is one of the most powerful and beautiful gifts that God has given us. It is the essence of who God is and what God has done for us. God loved us so much that God sent the only Son to die for us, to take away our sins and to give us eternal life. God loves us with an unconditional, unfailing, and unchanging love that nothing can separate us from. God loves us as we are, but God also loves us too much to leave us that way. God wants us to become more like Him, to reflect God’s image and glory in the world.
But love is also one of the most costly and painful gifts that God has given us. It is not a cheap or easy thing to love as God loves. It requires sacrifice, commitment, and endurance. It means putting others before ourselves, forgiving those who hurt us, and seeking the best for them. It means being vulnerable, honest, and humble. It means being willing to suffer for the sake of love.
Jesus showed us what love looks like when He suffered on the cross. He endured the agony of betrayal, rejection, mockery, torture, and death. He bore the weight of our sins. He did not deserve any of it, but He chose to do it out of love for us. He said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). He also said, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12).
If we want to follow Jesus and obey His commandment, we have to be ready to suffer for love. We have to be ready to face the challenges, trials, and persecutions that come with being His disciples. We have to be ready to love our enemies, to pray for those who mistreat us, and to bless those who curse us. We have to be ready to share in His sufferings, to carry our cross, and to die to ourselves. We have to be ready to lose our lives for His sake and for the sake of the gospel.
But we do not suffer alone or in vain. We have the Holy Spirit, who comforts us, strengthens us, and helps us to love. We have the hope of the resurrection, which assures us that our suffering is not the end, but the beginning of a new and glorious life. We have the promise of God, who works all things together for good for those who love God and are called according to God’s purpose. We have the example of the saints, who have gone before us and have shown us how to suffer well for love. And we have the reward of God, who will say to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:21).
Love will sometimes suffer, but love will always overcome. Love will always triumph, but love will sometimes cost. Love will always bless, but love will sometimes hurt. Love will always heal, but love will sometimes wound.
Love will always give, always live. Love will never fail.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we gather here today to acknowledge the profound gift of Your love, which is unconditional, unwavering, and everlasting. We confess that You have loved us so deeply that You sent Your only Son to atone for our sins and offer us eternal life. We recognize that this love is not just a gift, but a call to action, urging us to strive to be more like You, reflecting Your image in the world around us.
Yet, we also understand that this love comes with a high price. It demands sacrifices, commitments, and endurance. It means placing others above ourselves, forgiving those who have hurt us, and seeking the best for them. It means embracing vulnerability, honesty, and humility, and being willing to suffer for the sake of love, just as Jesus did on the cross.
Lord, we ask for Your guidance and strength to embody such love in our lives. Help us to be prepared to face the challenges and trials that come with following You. Grant us the courage to love our enemies, to pray for those who mistreat us, and to bless those who curse us. May we be willing to share in Your sufferings, to carry our cross, and to die to ourselves for Your sake and for the sake of the gospel.
Yet, we believe that our suffering is not in vain. We trust in the Holy Spirit, who comforts us and strengthens us in our love. We hold onto the hope of the resurrection, which assures us that our suffering is not the end, but the beginning of a new and glorious life. We rely on Your promise to work all things together for our good, and we draw inspiration from the saints who have shown us how to suffer well for love.
We affirm that love will sometimes suffer, but it will always overcome. It will always triumph, but it will sometimes cost. It will always bless, but it will sometimes hurt. It will always heal, but it will sometimes wound. Love will always give, always live, and never fail.
In Your name, we pray. Amen.
Recent Comments