LOVE.

Today’s Scripture: Galatians 5:14, KJB- “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

Sometimes love doesn’t make sense. We can argue with Paul that this isn’t one word but seven in this verse. However, we can quickly figure out the one word Paul is referring to. Love. Of course, later translations state that one command or statement fulfills all of God’s law. Love your neighbor as yourself.

This is not easy. Our first reactions are to think, certainly God, you do not mean to love that neighbor. Especially that neighbor who is not keeping Your laws LORD. We can’t begin to understand all the law or all about life. However, we can decide to simply love.

I do not know all the answers of right or wrong so I must trust God to be the judge. I am only called to love God and to love my neighbor as myself. I have proven in my own life that I do not change. I am revisiting a blog I wrote over twelve years ago and I realize I am living over and over again the same routines and challenges. Same challenges, different decade.

Surprisingly, I wrote back then that I arose early, as I did today, to catch up on work. Here I am two hours later still stuck in Galatians just like I was back then. These six chapters always challenge me and correct me. Paul wrote to the Galatians that they were letting their understanding of the law creep back into their beliefs and complicate things. Well maybe not complicate but destroy.

Just three verses after we have been told that love fulfills all the law, Paul warns us in Galatians 5: 17 that “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” (NIV)

If I keep doing whatever I want, I keep ending up in the same old places. LORD, help me to love and live with and through Your Spirit. Please LORD get me out of my head and my understanding to receive and live by Your Spirit and love. Only by the Holy Spirit am I able to live love. It really does not make sense. Love is not logical.

In fact, in the flesh and in the understanding of us humans, loving our neighbors can seem wrong and against God. Yes, somehow, I am supposed to love that neighbor too. I do not understand nor even agree but I want God over my understanding. I cannot even manage my own life so who am I to manage anyone else’s.

For some reason, God created me with promise. Well guess what, He created everyone else with promise too. I am still seeking to know God’s promise for my life, and I do not have the capacity nor time to try to understand God’s promise for anyone else. However, I can love. Can you?Today’s prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Christ Jesus and Your Holy Spirit who know love. Please continue to teach love to me. Lead me LORD in the Spirit and promise of Your love. Help me LORD to love my neighbor as You love me. Help me to walk in Your Spirit of love. Lord God, help me seek to live in Your promise today. Lord Jesus live in me today. Thank You Jesus for setting me free and I am praying Your Helper will help me to live in Your freedom and love today. Amen.