The Guide part 2
The Holy Spirit is our guide. And because of that we can safely follow our hearts. We know that love never fails. But in order to UNDERSTAND that love never fails, we have to understand what love is trying to accomplish. Jesus said it in John 10:10, "The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows" (AMP). Love never fails because love gives life. Love IS life. Abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurection life. To live is to love and to love is to live. That's why Jesus died and rose again: so that we could have HIS life. On the cross He gave His life for us and He gave His life to us. Love is giving. Love is life. Jesus giving His life to us and us giving our life to each other. Sometimes it SEEMS like love fails because we put expectations on it. "If I love her, she'll love me back." So when she doesn't... we think love fails. But this selfish motivation means it wasn't really love at all. Love doesn't HAVE a motivation, love IS the motivation! And that's what the Holy Spirit teaches us. The Holy Spirit leads and guides us into all truth. We have an unction from the Holy Spirit and we KNOW all things, but knowing something and understanding it are two different things. It's the difference between head knowledge and heart knowledge. The difference between knowing ABOUT God, and KNOWING God. It's the difference between religion and relationship. It's the difference between life and death. When we love in order to get something, we're not operating from the revelation that we already have everything we need. And really, when we love in order to get something, we're not loving at all. We're still trying to earn our bread with the sweat of our brow. We're still trying to finish the work. But the GIFT of God is eternal life, and you can't earn a gift. You can only receive it. And then, since it fills us up to overflowing, we can only release it. That's what our guide--the Comforter--teaches us. He teaches us that we CAN love because we ARE loved. The ultimate truth of the universe is that the Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into His hand. But, again, it's one thing to KNOW that and another thing to UNDERSTAND that. To operate in that truth. To BELIEVE that truth. To LIVE that truth. And the main reason a guide is better than a map is that a guide actually takes you where you wan to go. A map can't do anything unless you actually get up and move. But a guide is right there with you, step by step. A guide can make the journey easier. Because a guide has already been there and done that. "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus knows what we're going through because He went through it. He knows the Way (and the Truth, and the Life). He has what we need in any and every situation. Because He has love. Because He IS love. And that's what it's all about. He leads and guides us into love!