The Light of Love part 2
Living in the light, or walking in the light, is all about living, or walking, in love. Because here's the deal: God is love. God is light. They--like life and love--are not just connected, they are the same thing. You can't have one without the other and you can't do one without the other. When God said, "Let there be light," He was saying, "Here is my love." And when He did that, He gave His only begotten Son in whom He is well pleased. He showed us what love is... by loving us. He showed us that love is giving... by giving us His Son. His Spirit. His life. His love. And because He gave... we can give. One of my favorite Bible verses is 1 John 4:11 (NLT), "Dear friends, since God loves us that much, we surely ought to love each other." Because we are loved... we can love. Because we are loved... we ARE love. And here's kind of my focus for this Rant series: If you're hiding what you're doing, you probably shouldn't be doing it. You should live in the light. Live transparently. And if you're living a life of love... you won't have to hide anything, because you won't be doing anything you have to hide! If you're being open and honest it makes things really simple. You don't have to try to remember what lie you told you person. You can just speak the truth. The ultimate truth of the universe that God is love and He loves you. The truth that the Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into His hands. God gave us everything we need when He gave us His Son. Look at 2 Peter 1:3 (NLT), "By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence." The KJV uses the phrase "all things that pertain unto life and godliness." We have been given everything we need. We have no lack because our God has no lack, and because He has given Himself to us, for us, and as us! We can live in the light because HE is the light of the world... and He shines on us, and into us, and out of us! We are that same light. We can shine with His love... because He loves us. And because He loves us... we ought to love each other. God and people. Loving God and loving people. Loving God BY loving people. Letting the love that He has filled us with come out by filling ourselves to overflowing with that love. Letting our light shine by knowing and believing that He lives in us. That we live in Him. That as He is, so are we in this world. He is the light of the world. We are the light of the world. It's the same light of love. We were created to be loved and to love. To let God love us and to love Him back by loving each other. To experience this abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life of love to the fullest by receiving and releasing the love of God. That's as simple as I can make it. God is love. He loves you. Love Him back by loving people. That's what this life is all about, and that's what this life is for. If you want to live... love! No love, no life. Know love, KNOW life! It's all about love. All about doing what we were created to do. Not skulking around in the dark, doing things that we are ultimately ashamed of, but living in the light. Putting God's love on display as we receive it and release it. I remember when I worked at a law firm there was a dude who worked there who asked me one day, "Seriously, why are you always in a good mood?" And I remember just smiling and saying, "Because I know God loves me." That love will equip and empower you to not only live... but to truly be alive! And when you have something that good, you will want to share it. Love is giving. Shine your light and give it away!