THE BURNING FLAME OF LOVE

14th FEBRUARY 2021

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away – 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Again, the world is gripped by a celebration of love. History has it that, precisely on February 14^th in A.D 470, Saint Valentine was executed for performing weddings for Roman soldiers against the Roman law. Today, Saint Valentine is referred to as the patron Saint of beloveds, and people worldwide celebrate romantic love on the day of his execution. But love ought to go beyond romance; Love should be expressed the same way as God expressed His love for humanity. Therefore, for romantic love to be enduring, it must be based on agape love. That means that romantic love not based on agape love is SELFISH and fake; Such love is usually withdrawn if not reciprocated. Romantic Love ought to be tinged with Agape Love for it to be genuine. Otherwise, it will ruin with time!

Godly love is Agape love and it goes beyond self; it touches others with positive impact. Godly love leads to eternal life; we cannot inherit the kingdom of God if we hate our neighbour because hating the neighbour is the same as hating God. But true love to God and your neighbour must be devoid of selfish motives. In any event, love is the outer manifestation of inner righteousness; Therefore, Love is pure! Love is the purest flame of fire that burns from the inner core of your soul. It becomes important that we express love as it is – in its purest form from the heart.

 Love is the noblest sacrifice we can offer to God and to each other. Love is patient, kind, does not rejoice in evil, does not envy, does not boast, not proud, not rude, not selfish, slow to anger, keeps no record, rejoices with the truth, bears all things, believe all things, hopes all things and endures all things. This is the kind of love Christ loves us with. All of these characteristics were evident throughout his childhood, public ministry, sufferings, and death as well as resurrection. THIS IS THE KIND OF LOVE WE SHOULD CULTIVATE, AND EXPRESS TO EACH OTHER TODAY and always.

Although Agape love seems difficult to express; we are not alone; Christ gives us the grace and ability to love each other perfectly. Love is the greatest of all the eternal virtues and therefore, will never become obsolete or invalid.

The word of God is telling us today to express Agape love to everyone, including our families, as romantic Love, if not built on agape love, quickly withers away or blown off like a candle in the wind. Also, other gifts of the spirit will fade away. Only Agape love will remain.

As you celebrate love today, have a reassessment of yourself; how does your daily conduct measure up to Paul’s description of love in your dealings with others, whether they be lovers, friends or foes? Remember, without love; our labour means nothing! Are you committed to walking in “The More Excellent Way of Love?”

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

  PRAYER

 Father in the name of Jesus Christ, I want to love more excellently, starting from today. Lord, help me to overcome selfish love and to be ready to make a sacrifice without the expectation of any reward. AMEN

 FURTHER READING:  Jeremiah 31:3, Matthew 18:21-22