Christian Love

Actually, loving does not take any great effort on our part because it is not something we must put forth great effort to achieve. When God enters our heart, soul, and mind, love is spontaneously produced because He is love. It is a spiritual attainment. It is the result of a cause and the cause is this: God loved us first (1 John 4:19).

This love is not produced by us. No one can love God until he knows that God loves him and we can only love God when we have perceived some reasons for doing so. Each person that has ever been saved never came to God as a lover of God, but as a sinner who had come to believe in God's love for him or her. Our love is connected with this "knowing."

When we realize God's love for us, we become acutely aware of our unworthiness. The more we recognize our own helpless state, the more we understand God's love for us; a love so great that it embraces poor sinner. We love because God first loved us.

God loves us. It is a fact affirmed and validated by the patriarchs, lawgivers, seers, prophets, apostles, teachers, deacons, evangelists. From Genesis to Revelation, a conglomeration of witnesses joined together to make this heavenly announcement: God loves us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died.

But, we cannot claim we love God if we do not love one another; for it is in loving God that we are enabled to love one another, and in loving one another, our love for God is strengthened. Human love is a response to God's love. His love within us creates goodness and transforms the unlovable into the lovable. When this miracle occurs, we discover we love not only others, but ourselves.

No greater claim can any of us make than that we love. Love is a characteristic of those who love God. Love is the great bond of fellowship which binds believers to one another, and to our Lord. We love all men-even our enemies. Like John, we do not claim to love as deeply as we desire to love; we do not claim to love as much as we expect to as we progress in the faith, but we do claim to love. There is no guessing, no speculation, no assumptions, and no inferences.

We Christians stand side by side with John and thousands of others down through the generations to affirm what John declared. That somehow, even in this messed up world, even in times like these when man's inhumanity to man seem to have reached chaotic proportions, we love and we do it because God lives in us and God is love. This is God's eminent challenge to man and one of man's greatest trials.

Rev. Saundra L. Washington, D.D., is an ordained clergywoman, social worker, and Founder of AMEN Ministries. http://www.clergyservices4u.org. She is also the author of two coffee table books: Room Beneath the Snow: Poems that Preach and Negative Disturbances: Homilies that Teach. Her new book, Out of Deep Waters: My Grief Management Workbook, will be available soon.

---

The Healing Hand of God

"Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being,... Read More

Choosing Peace, One Shift at a Time

It doesn't matter what magazine or newspaper you pick up... Read More

What Animal Communicators Do

Many people are awakening today to the idea that the... Read More

The Pizza Parable

Behold, a certain young maiden did often times and at... Read More

The Divine Self

Many look outside of themselves for an experience of the... Read More

Beyond Normal - The Liquid Level Of Consciousness

I am not enlightened, and yet,... Read More

Can Moms Have a Quiet Time, Too?

Spending 'Quiet Time' with the LordFrom the beginning of my... Read More

Communicationg Our Faith According to Internet

Following are 17 questions that can be used as a... Read More

Expect the Best and Get It

The famous prayer of Jabez, where Jabez prayed for prosperity,... Read More

Anam Cara - Life as a Box of Paints

Lonely Song"a box of paints - lament for my da"It... Read More

Shamanism

Shamanism is an ancient form of mysticism. Although... Read More

How To Find Your Center Of Power

The still place is the beginning. Settle in there, ask... Read More

Using Your Spiritual Path Against Yourself

In looking back at my process over the years I... Read More

Pursuing Your Destiny

During my childhood days, I disliked Lenten season because radio... Read More

Creating Your Soul-Centered Community

Imagine for a moment. It's Tuesday night about 7pm. You... Read More

Enlightenment, Moving to a New Level of Awareness

(Channelled)Roy, what a marvellous job you are doing on your... Read More

The Power of Angels -- An Interview With Rose Ann Schwab, Part Two

Rose Ann Schwab is an internationally and world renowned professional... Read More

The Wisdom of the River: Lessons Learned

Over the past few years I have watched the popularity... Read More

A Merry Heart is Like a Medicine

When the body of Christ isn't protected we become vulnerable... Read More

You Are Not Your Stuff

We humans are a funny, funny breed. We spend our... Read More

How A Grudge Can Affect You

As we go through life we all have to deal... Read More

Understanding the Gospel of Matthew and Why it Matters - Part 5

Matthew 2:13-15 The Flight to Egypt13 Now when they had... Read More

Theory on PRAYER

Oxford dictionary defines PRAYER as "a request for help or... Read More

Religion or Spirituality

There is a natural tendency to asociate spirituality with religion,... Read More

See You At Midnight: Strategy For Terrific Speed To Greatness!

The gate of every year is the begining of that... Read More

The Power of One

Yes, we are living in a world where we are... Read More

Moksha - Salvation Hinduism... Highlights Concept and the Path

Is it not true that only after gaining Enlightenment (Self-Realization)... Read More

3 Little Prayers That Strengthen Relationships

My mentor, a brilliant Ph.D, with a powerful marriage counseling... Read More

The Woodstock Effect: And Weve Got to Get Ourselves Back to the Garden

Woodstock, the watershed event for a generation, had a far... Read More

Do You Experience God?

Connor, a man in his late 40's, has achieved everything... Read More

Stress & Spirituality, Part 1

Stress & Spirituality ? How Spirituality Affects Stress LevelsTake a... Read More

7 Wake-Up Calls-Avoid Self Sabotage to Discover Wealth and Prosperity with the Angels of Abundance

It's an almost unbelievable thought, but could you be getting... Read More

New Every Morning

I have almost died twice in my life. The first... Read More