Nothing but love

A life of love is the only way to "please him completely" (Colossians 1:10). Inasmuch as God is an emotional being, He experiences joy and sadness in the same way as we do. Our daily words and our actions make Him feel sorry for Him and make Him rejoice about us with songs. What an incredible thought ! Today, you and I can please the God of the universe. Although He is beyond our comprehension, omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient, His heart can still be touched by our acts of love, even in mundane activities. What else could love please a God of love ?

Love is always the goal. It is for this reason that the Bible declares : "For those who are united to Jesus Christ, what matters is not to be circumcised or uncircumcised, it is to have faith, a faith which is translated by acts inspired by love" (Galatians 5: 6).

Even though the sign of God's covenant with Abraham was the circumcision of all boys, now is a new day and a better covenant has been established. Circumcision, race, talent, money, glory, education or all the things we can cherish have become irrelevant compared to love. A loving person or, even better, a church filled with loving people, has great power to influence people towards God.

An elderly couple from a southern state visited our church and after the meeting they came to see me in my office. The man was very moved when he said to me : "Pastor, we have never worshiped with blacks or Hispanics, not once in our lives. But when you asked people to greet you, men of all kinds, whom I had never met, hugged me, as if I were their brother." Tears filled his eyes when he continued : "I felt more love this morning from a stranger than I experienced in thirty years in my church."

What a blessing ! He did not mention my message or the way the choir sang. What touched his heart and opened his eyes was the love of God flowing !

Jim Cymbala