Tag: love

In my Bible reading, the Lord has been impressing upon me the importance of taking my time and choosing quality over quantity. I have found this to be very beneficial as it allows me the golden opportunity to take in the small details that I would otherwise overlook.

If I feel pressure to race through my daily reading, in an effort to complete a chapter or two, I will miss many of the simple truths that God wanted to speak to me that day through His Word. God’s Word is so full of the refreshment and nourishment that we so desperately need and I have found that consuming it in small bites has really helped me not to miss what matters most.

I am sure you have experienced those moments in your Bible reading where you have been reading and all of a sudden the words you read, jumped right off the page and captured your heart. And the crazy thing is that it is often something that we have read many times before. I have been finding that to happen more often, as I have been taking my time to hear what the Lord is saying to me by taking small bites of His Word, journaling, repenting and praying about what I have read. 

I have been going through the book of Genesis, and about a week ago, my reading for the day was Genesis 4:13-16. Chapter 4 in Genesis shares the story of Cain and Abel. In the previous verses of that chapter, we learn that Cain killed His brother Abel and the Lord told Cain that when he worked the ground, it would no longer produce crops and that he would be a wanderer. Cain’s response/plea is below in verses 13-14. But God’s astounding response is in verse 15.

Genesis 4:13-16 NIV

13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”

15 But the Lord said to him, “Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. 16 So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

When I got to verse 15, GOD’S MERCY struck me, it jumped off the page and captured my heart! It was massive and hard to comprehend, but real. There was no way I could miss it and it caused me to examine my own heart, repent of my pride and realize how I, like Cain, have received God’s mercy, not once, not twice but time and time again. Here was a man who committed murder, yet the loving God we serve was willing to spare his life. God marked Cain so that no one would kill him, even though he had killed his brother, Abel. 

Through Christ, we too have been marked by God’s mercy. He often withholds the punishment we deserve and the punishment we think others deserve. Realizing this, gives us the ability to trust Him with justice, after all, He has said that vengeance belongs to Him. 

Romans 12:19 NIV

12 “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.”

When we see others do wrong and it seems that they are getting away with it, justice belongs to the Lord. He has promised to work all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).

Vengeance can take on many forms. And in the times we live in, that vengeance often can come through the things that are being posted on social media. Many people often use their social media platforms to speak harsh words, post divisive things, hurt others, or insist upon their own way.

So, it’s even more important to make sure that what we post is coming from a place of love and God’s truth instead of vengeance, since we have a responsibility as Christians to bring glory to God and help expand His kingdom, not divide it. We know that God is not the author of confusion, but of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33).

I am thankful God used these verses in Genesis to remind me of the greatness of His mercy. I love how the Word of God brings humility, conviction, and instruction to all who are willing to receive it. 

James 2:13 NIV

13 “For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

2 Corinthians 3:18 KJB “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

I like what Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers says regarding this verse, “We see God mirrored in Christ, who is “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15), and as we gaze, with our face unveiled, on that mirror, a change comes over us.”

It’s so beautiful to know that as Christians, when we keep our gaze on Christ Jesus, we have the privilege of becoming more like Him and reflecting Him to others. Of course doing this takes intentionality. Everything we do should be done with the purpose of reflecting Christ. 

God is always calling us higher, desiring for us to go from glory to glory and grow in our relationship with Him. This will require us to not lead a life of control and comfort, but instead a life of faith and obedience to His will. Living life with our gaze fixed on Christ, will lead us to the adventures that He has for us.

We see Him best when we choose to walk in His will, even if we must leave behind control and comfort. Although there are many things in the world that we can enjoy, surrendering to Christ each day, will give us the true fulfillment we long for. And that goes beyond even the best things this world has to offer. 

Psalm 145:16 ESV, “You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.”

As you sense God calling you higher, I encourage you to pray about everything and trust Him with each detail of your journey. Don’t let fear, anxiety, or comfort hold you back from the blessings God has for you on the next level. 

Proverbs 20:24 NLT, “The LORD directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?”

When we pray and ask God for wisdom, He will guide us and tell us what He knows we need to know. However, humility and trust help us to surrender to God and find rest knowing that we don’t have to understand every detail of every situation. And since He is directing our steps, we can trust Him with what we do not know. We do know that His plans are flawless and He will work everything out for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

It can be difficult at times to choose to trust God with the unknowns we face. But as we choose to trust Him, we will see His love at work in our hearts and lives. There is no detail that slips past Him. He faithfully cares for us and will provide our every need. 

Luke 6:27-28 NIV, “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” 

I think most people can agree that showing love to difficult people is one of the hardest things to do. But nevertheless, God commands us to do good to, bless, and pray for those who have hurt us.

God doesn’t always remove difficult people, sometimes He allows us to walk through the difficult circumstances and learn to trust Him as we grow in love. He never promised us that sharing His love and light would be easy, but He did promise to counsel us, direct us, protect us and love us. So with God on our side, we will be victorious. 

As you read these verses in Luke, someone in particular probably came to your mind. These verses have given us a reminder to say a prayer for whoever has mistreated us and trust God to work things out as we obey His commands.

Never under estimate the power of God’s love or the ways He is working to bring about good in your life or needed changes in the lives of others through your prayers. Remember, His plans are best, even when we can’t yet see the end result, so continue to trust God.