How Deep Is Your Love?

These past couple of weeks, I have found myself going back to the same passage in the Bible, Philippians 1:3-11.  It has made me ponder the intense love Paul possessed for the church in Philippi.  What caused him to “thank God for every remembrance of them”?   Why was he always “praying with joy for all of them in every prayer”? And how can I begin to really love on a level like that?

Grace to love supernaturally

Hungry.  That’s what I have felt these past couple of weeks.  An area of my life that has me wanting more of this extraordinary love that is deeply rooted in Christ.  I say this because the Bible speaks of a love that is completely outside of our natural ability, Romans 5:5, “because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

This is an incredible gospel truth to embrace: we have been given the grace to love others in a supernatural way.  So where’s the disconnect?  Where can I get more of this extraordinary love in my life?

Love needs to be nurtured

Here’s a few things I’m learning as I see the gospel more clearly in the word.  Love has to be nurtured, just like we would look after a seed planted in a garden.  Give it the proper care and attention it needs, and it will grow.  And we can begin by,

1. Rejoicing in Christ.  As I have read and re-read Philippians, Paul is continuously rejoicing about his new life  “in Christ.”  His focus in always on Jesus, what He has done, what He is doing and when Christ will return.  If we are going to love people with God’s love then we have to keep our hearts centered on the glories of the gospel. When I experience frustration, discouragement, fear, these emotions are red flags for me.  I know that my heart is moving away from rejoicing in Christ.  We have the Spirit’s power to bring our emotions back to center because the gospel reminds us that it is no longer you and I who live, but Christ who lives in us.  Galatians 2:20
2. Identify your gospel family.  Who is with you in running the race?  Who is striving side by side with you for the faith of the gospel?  Paul knew this church was with him in seeing the gospel proclaimed to the surrounding world.  He saw life and those around him, with an eternal perspective.  And here’s where you and I can begin to see those fellow believers differently.  They are co-laborers involved in one mission:  going into all the world, proclaiming Christ and making disciples.  Thinking on this gospel truth should cause us to rejoice!  My heart grows in love when I begin to see a fellow believer as a running partner.  Philippians 1:27
3. Pray your love for fellow co-laborers would increase.  This seems like it should be a no-brainer.  But the church is made up of so many different personalities, life-styles, and backgrounds, that if we are honest, it can be really hard to love sometimes.  I know this because I live there from time to time.  But I am so grateful that the Lord is faithful to guide His children back to the right path.  And as I begin to pray, confess my inability to love, ask for forgiveness, the Lord responds with more grace.  Sometimes I’m in awe of just how much the Lord loves His children.  When I admit my weakness, He shows up mightily.  It’s so foreign to our human nature.  Confessed weakness equates to more of His power in our life.  James 4:6

My prayer is that you are encouraged to love more deeply those fellow men and women which God has divinely place in your life as co-laborers.  John 13:35 reminds us that it is by our love for one another that the world around us will know that we are Christ’s disciples. Does your love testify to this truth?