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Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Put on Love


Putting on Christ means putting on Love. 

Nothing holds things more together than love. Its what spoke into our existence. It's what put value on you and me. Its what makes life worth living. Life without love is empty, controlling, filled with fear, worry and regret. But a life filled with love brings purpose, complete fulfillment, security and release into freedom, giving the lover and the loved the ability to dream and live beyond themselves. Choose Love. Its the better way.

In a culture that fights for justice and fairness, it's extremely different putting on an attribute that our society (almost) looks down upon. But Jesus paid the most ultimate price for Love, and He did when He was innocent. This is the most unjust act in all of history, but its the act of Love He is all calling us to. 

I can hear it now....."but Jesus doesn't want us to be treated unfairly! We should fight for injustice! We should have recompense for evil!" Fighting for what is right in the right heart is different than fighting for what is right with an impure motive. For many of us, we rarely fight because of love. For most of us, we fight for something when we feel betrayed, hurt, misunderstood, or offended. 

But Jesus fought for us through his act of love on the cross. Romans 6 paints a picture of us, too, as believers being co-buried with Christ. What does this mean for us as Christians? What was He trying to say? He was showing us that we, too, could also lay down our lives in the same manner. He was saying our old nature was put on the cross with Him. Just as Paul said, "it is no longer I who live, BUT CHRIST, who lives in me." Do we believe these words? Are we willing to be co-crucified, co-buried and co-resurrected with Him? This is what it means to put on Love. It means to be made one with Him in all things, because in that He has perfected all things. He who is Love, not a mere emotion or feeling, laid His life down. Romans also says no greater love than this.....he who lays down his life for a friend. But Jesus not only laid down His life for a friend, but also for His enemies! What a life of love we are called to! That Jesus knowing that Judas was to betray Him, still washed His feet! What a beautiful picture of Love.

And this is what it means to put on Christ. It is to walk in the reality that we have been made one with Him in all things. Ever hear people say, "Jesus is alive still today!"? Well....He is! He is alive, breathing and living through you! So put on love and surrender to His Spirit that is living in You today! He wants to be let out! Love like life counts on it.....because it does.

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