DAY 3: WALK IN LOVE

If you haven’t noticed, we’ve been weaving in and out of this subject already in days 1 & 2 - and let me just tell you, we’ll continue seeing the theme of “LOVE” finding its way into the coming days of this devotional. This is how it should be. As we mentioned in Day 2, this is how the world knows who we belong to (by how we love each other).

But even deeper than that, Paul gave us a powerful nugget of truth in Galatians 5:6 when he was talking about the fruits of the Spirit. He informed us that “faith works BY LOVE”. What a powerful statement. When we really break down Koine Greek on this verse we’d see “pistis energeo by agape”, which could easily be translated as “the WALK of faith as a believer is energized by the God kind of love”. One of the best ways to view agape love is simply “unconditionally, seeing people as valuable & precious”.

In Mark 11:22-26, Jesus outlined what it takes to have what could be called (after reading these red letters) “mountain moving faith”. He wrapped up His message on mountain moving faith in verses 25 & 26 instructing His disciples that when we stand praying, we are to FORGIVE anybody that we have fought against so that God can also forgive US. This love thing is a big deal y’all. It’s how faith works! It’s the fuel of the kingdom!

You see, we are not walking in the fullness of what this walk with Jesus has to offer until we are committed to walking in the love of God. This could be a whole BOOK in and of itself, but let me try to break this down practically, quickly, and as efficiently as I can.

When it comes to a committed walk of love, we have to ask ourselves the following basic questions:

1. Am I quick to forgive?

Don’t hold people under contempt of the wrongs they’ve done. Don’t “make them pay” for what they’ve done or repay evil for evil. Our debts have been canceled, therefore we forgive our debtors. Instead of anticipating flawed human beings to get it right every time, we’re actually called to store up an account of love for each other in expectation that we could be let down at any time. And instead of deliberating and playing the judge and jury, we forgive and move forward in Jesus name.

“So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.”

Colossians 3:12-14 MSG

1. Am I patient with others?

One of the quickest ways I can tell my love walk is under pressure is when I’m snappy and short fused. Paul famously wrote that “love is patient” in 1 Corinthians 13:4. Remember, this is a fruit of the Spirit. Meaning this, if you are saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, the ability to be patient is already in you. It’s a package deal that comes with the Spirit of God living on the inside of you. This PATIENCE (and every other fruit of the Spirit) is NOT something you have to pray for anymore, it literally resides in you. So stop praying for it and start employing it.

2. Am I compassionate?

I know that we are surrounded by a hurting world and that it can be so overwhelming that at times it feels like we’re forced into an “every man for himself” mentality, but that is not what we are called to do as believers. We cannot allow our hearts to become calloused and cold. The heart of God is for us to be gracious and “giving unto every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).

“Blessed [gratefully praised and adored] be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts and encourages us in every trouble so that we will be able to comfort and encourage those who are in any kind of trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 AMP

3. Finally, have I received the reality of God’s grace FOR ME?

You won’t ever be able to forgive and extend grace towards others until you’ve received the forgiveness and grace that God has extended towards you. The message of the Gospel is “He paid a debt He did not owe, I owed a debt I could not pay”.

“Then Peter came to Him and asked, “Lord, how many times will my brother sin against me and I forgive him and let it go? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered him, “I say to you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven. “Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the accounting, one who owed him 10,000 talents was brought to him. But because he could not repay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and his children and everything that he possessed, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ And his master’s heart was moved with compassion and he released him and forgave him [canceling] the debt. But that same slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began choking him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe!’ So his fellow slave fell on his knees and begged him earnestly, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ But he was unwilling and he went and had him thrown in prison until he paid back the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and they went and reported to their master [with clarity and in detail] everything that had taken place. Then his master called him and said to him, ‘You wicked and contemptible slave, I forgave all that [great] debt of yours because you begged me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave [who owed you little by comparison], as I had mercy on you?’ And in wrath his master turned him over to the torturers (jailers) until he paid all that he owed. My heavenly Father will also do the same to [every one of] you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.””

Matthew 18:21-35 AMP

There is no separating a walk with Jesus from walking in love. They are one and the same. In fact, it’s how we know we’ve passed from death to life.

PRAYER

Father, I thank you that the love of Jesus has been shed abroad in my heart. I repent for the times that I’ve been unkind and lacked compassion. As I check my heart now, I lay down every weight of unforgiveness and bitterness at your feet, Jesus. I choose to forgive my debtors. I choose to walk in love. I thank you for the power to forgive the ones who have wronged me. I won’t hold a spirit of offense any longer. I ask you to soften my heart, Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ mighty name, amen!