Love One Another Fervently
“Above all things have fervent love for one another…” 1 Peter 4:8
The song of the sixties said, “What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of.” As a child of the sixties I can testify that this is one of the few popular songs that had it right. Love IS what we need more of.
But not just any kind of love will do. Many have a twisted idea of love as many other songs of the sixties demonstrated. The love we need more of is God’s love. Let’s take a moment to read the beautiful expressions of that love from 1 Corinthians 13.
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV
God’s pure love is high and lofty isn’t it? We read this passage and come away with the stark reality that we often fall short of it. But all of us have seen it at some time and in some form and when we see real love we are drawn to it and desire to have it. Without a doubt love is the greatest force on the earth.
This love comes from God and it is He who demonstrated its loftiness in sending His only Son to a cruel cross to save people who were sinning against Him and didn’t care that they were. He loved us when we were unlovely. He didn’t just say He loved the world of people He created He showed it! The cross forever stands as the greatest act of love ever.
Those who have been the recipients of this great love are compelled to give it back to the God who gave it to them and to show this love to others, especially those who are our brothers and sisters in Christ. Peter said, “Above all things have fervent love for one another.”
Loving one another is the greatest things we can do. The scripture is clear...loving others is to be above all other things. Loving one another is to be done fervently; that is, passionately, ardently and enthusiastically. When we as a body of believers make love our greatest goal and when we learn to express it with passion we become the family God wants us to be. The greatest desire of the Father is that His kids love each other and show it with actions. John said, “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18).
So, let’s change the world by obeying the new commandment Jesus gave when He said, “Love one another as I have loved you.” Lofty indeed but attainable for “the love of God is poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:5). Let’s ask the Lord to pour out His love into your hearts and let’s ask that it flow out of our hearts to others for when we love one another fervently the world will take notice and be attracted to this surpassing love of Christ.
What the world needs now is love, GOD’S love! So, let’s give the world what it needs most and love one another fervently!
Pastor Dan