By Published On: March 13th, 2024Categories: Leader Blog, Meditation for Preparation0 Comments on Meditation for Preparation – March 17h

That’s What Love Is

Read:  Luke 6:27-38
 

Love Your Enemies

But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Judging Others

Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.

COREM DEO
 
What is “love?” It is possibly the most examined and dissected idea in all of history.  Everyone, from all periods of time, seems to be in search of the experience and feeling of both loving someone and being loved.  Yet it seems to be just as misunderstood and beyond the grasp of our comprehension today as it was at any other point in history.  As you read Jesus’s instructions on how we are to treat our enemies and give our possessions away to those who give us nothing in return, does it feel and sound totally foreign?  Incredibly, Jesus uses the word “love” to describe these actions.
 
Examine your own life.  Who are your personal enemies?  Who are the “beggars” that are asking things of you with no reciprocal benefit?  Now that you have personalized these groups, pray about how God would have you change the way you interact with them and how you can go about truly “loving” them.