The Abundant Life-- Abundant in Love

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John 10:10
"Jesus said.....'I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly."


 1 Thess. 3:9-4:1
In verse 10 Paul mentions that he prays for the Thessalonians that they would “perfect what is lacking” in their faith.  He goes on in his prayer that the Lord would make them increase and abound in love to one another and to all. The topic of love is a gigantic topic and one that can never really be exhausted.

 In a few weeks, we will be celebrating a very popular holiday- Valentine's Day. Many, I think, have the wrong idea of what love is all about. They think it has to do with "them"- how to be satisfied, get their needs met, etc. But the Bible gives us a very different idea of what Godly love is. If we really want a Biblical definition of the word love, we need to read and put into practice 1 Corinthians 13, sometimes referred to as the love chapter. Wow! How far short I fall when I really study and try to absorb and put into practice these verses.  It doesn't matter how or what we speak if we don't have love we are like cymbals being banged together. We can be all "spiritual"- prophesy, speak in tongues, have faith to see mountains fall and people healed- but without love, it is nothing. But true love, God's love is kind, long suffering, not rude or envious and it doesn't gloat over other people's sins. But God's love bears, believes, hopes and endures all things. It is always on look out for others' welfare. It puts others above ourselves.

 Love, is an action word. It isn't just gushy words- but there has to be a life of love backing up our actions. Yes, I fall really short here. My prayer is that I will "perfect what is lacking" in my life. That word perfect means to bring to maturity. I want to mature God's love within me so that I can give it out to others. This is part of the abundant life that Jesus was speaking about. I want to abound in my love to others.

 1 John 4:11-"Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."
1 John 3:16- "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."
1 John 3:18-"My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth."

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 Dear Lord, Help me to truly show the kind of love to others that have shown to me. May I grow and mature in this love so that I can bless those around me. In Jesus precious name, Amen
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