Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 7-9; Luke 13: 1-21.
Memory Verse: “But And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?” Luke 13:16 (KJV)
The Bible says in 1 John 4:8 (KJV), “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” Any wonder then when the Lord summarized the ten commandments in Matthew 22:37-40 (KJV), “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. [38] This is the first and great commandment. [39] And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. [40] On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
So whatever you do should be done out of love. This is what characterized the ministry of our Lord Jesus. He showed love to people even in difficult circumstances where the church authority were against it. For Jesus, Love comes before rules. Thus when the issue of healing on Sabbath came up , which was against the rule of Sabbath. Rather than obeying the rule and not healing the woman, He chose to show love to the woman by healing her! ( Luke 13:11-13). He enjoins all believers to love their enemies. This is clearly stated in Luke 6:27-28 (KJV), “But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, [28] Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.” For a true child of God, this should not be difficult because at salvation, your heart of stone has been exchanged for heart of flesh (Ezekiel 11:19).
Having a heart of flesh implies being compassionate. With this, you cannot see any human being suffering and look the other side. Jesus Christ showed compassion in all He did. For example; in Matthew 14:14 (KJV), “And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.” Similarly, he was moved by love in Luke 13:16 (KJV) when he said “And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?”
How do you relate with people around you? Do you show love in your place of work, social gathering, at home, in church and other places of engagement. Can people who do not know you before easily see the love of God radiating all over you in your interaction with them? As Christians our conduct should be able to win others to Christ. If people see you as repulsive, complain about your relationship with others, see you as being arrogant or selfish, you need to examine your salvation and make necessary amendments to becoming Christ-like in behavior. If on the other hand you have not accepted Jesus as your Saviour, you cannot love like Him because it is not by power or might but by the Spirit of the Lord. You, therefore, need to repent of your sinful ways and Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour and you will become a new being.
Prayer point: Father, help me to bear always, the fruit of Love out of my renewed spirit in Jesus name.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero