Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
(Matthew 22:37-39 KJV)
Introducing… the Love Series on LizMargaret!
We have a desire to connect with others. And it’s perfectly normal. God created us to have this desire–and to have fruitful relationships with those around us.
In every type of relationship you can imagine, Christ is an example of how we ought to love. It’s quite amazing. Think about it:
In marriage:
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (Ephesians 5:25)
We are called into the family of God, as His children:
And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:18)
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (1 John 3:1)
In friendships:
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. (John 15:13-14)
In every example, Christ is the center. Everything points back to gospel. God Himself has modeled love for us through His Son, Jesus Christ. Just as Christ laid down His life for us, we are called to do the same for Him. We are called to die to ourselves in our service to Him and to others as He commands.
Yet as we navigate different relationships (friendship, romance, family, etc), we often face pain, disappointment, confusion, betrayal, and heartbreak. Due to our imperfect nature, these feelings may be inevitable, but God’s Word provides endless wisdom on how we should conduct ourselves in relationships and what we should avoid.
When we remain rooted in Christ, we allow His will for our current and future relationships to manifest, as we are led by the Spirit to have discernment in who we allow into our lives and what it looks like to love them.
The Love Series will look at four women in the Bible who show that following God is the only way to live life and treat others as He intended.
Love Series | Overview:
Part 1: Ruth
Part 2: The Samaritan Woman at the Well
Part 3: Anna
Part 4: Elizabeth
These are real women, with very different stories. They exemplify faith as well as human faults. They are forgiven women, friends, disciples, and leaders. Each of them teach us that when the gospel is evident in the way we live, we are set apart from the world, bringing glory to God in our lives and relationships.
Look out for new posts in this four-part series every Monday, starting August 1, 2016!
LizMargaret 