Living God’s Love

Being called to ministry is exciting, but it is also demanding.

That is why Jesus told us to count the cost, not in the financial sense but in the followership sense. Am I willing to lead as Jesus led? Am I able to love as Jesus loved? Jesus’ counsel in the sermon on the plain in Luke 6:27–31, 35 is much like His sermon on the mount in Matthew 5:38–48.

At the heart of both is God’s command to love one another, even our enemies. I can envision Him as He taught the people the principles of kingdom living and the divine realignment of the heart. Those called by Jesus must have hearts that characterize the love of God to those He died to save.

Loving one another is challenging, but loving our adversaries is even more challenging. We all know how difficult this command is.

In my earlier walk with God, it took much prayer and fasting to be able to work with people who pretended to be my friends but were, in fact, my enemies. Constantly, I had to press into the presence of God until the Holy Spirit helped me replace my negative feelings toward them with God’s love for them. It wasn’t easy.

What did the Holy Spirit impress upon me that helped me tremendously? That I was once God’s enemy, yet He forgave me. He came to die not only for me but for my enemies too. When He called me to serve, His divine purpose was for me to share His love. No matter how we are treated, we must be faithful to our calling.

When we received Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we also received a divine realignment of our hearts. We became partakers of His nature to love —even our enemies. Hallelujah! Jesus drew us with His everlasting love by dying in our place.

He was beaten without mercy. He was mocked, stripped naked, and taunted to the very end. And so that you and I would have victory, He sent the Holy Spirit to empower us to serve others and share His love.

Dear Father, thank You for Your incredible sacrifice on our behalf. As Your chosen vessels, thank You for giving us the Holy Spirit to clothe us with Your kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and love for one another, even our enemies. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Shirley P. Scott