Meditations on the Meaning of ChristmasSample

Love Goes Up

“Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” (Luke 7:41-47)

We have been considering the term “perfected love” and have defined it this way…

Perfected love is love that comes down, goes up, and goes out.

God’s love comes down to us in Jesus Christ, and as we truly receive His Love, and experience His love, we are transformed by His love, into people who love God, and love others. That’s perfected love.

And perfected love begins, with the love of God coming down at Christmas.

But perfected love does not end there, because when love comes down, love goes up!

Jesus gives a parable outlining this for us in Luke chapter 7…

41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” (Luke 7:41-47)

Forgiven much – loves much!

When the love of God comes down to us in the Person of Jesus Christ, and we truly experience His love, the result in our hearts is love for God!

But let’s be honest, our hearts are not always filled with love for God, are they? Yes, we are a people who have been forgiven much, but we are also a people who are prone to forgetfulness, and distraction, and sin.

Therefore, if you and I are going to be a people who are filled with love for God, we must first be a people who are intentional about seeking to continually experience God’s love!

To review, here are two ways we can be intentional about experiencing God’s love…

1. PRAYER: We must pray (like Moses) that we would experience and be satisfied in the love of God.

2. WORD: We must gaze at the love of God by renewing our mind with the truth of the gospel.

Let’s embrace this truth for our lives; we must continue praying and gazing, if we want to experience much of God’s love, and love God much!

And according to Jesus, this is the most important thing we can do. There is nothing more important for us, than to love God! Jesus tells us so in Matthew chapter 22…

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.” (Matthew 22:37-38)

Perfected love begins, with the love of God coming down at Christmas.

And when love comes down, love goes up. And this is the most important thing!

Reflect

• Does the reality that I am “forgiven much” currently grip my heart?
• Am I growing in love for God, or is my love for God growing cold?
• How can I grow in my love for God?