V 1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too.
I confess there are times when I have to hold up my hands and say I am not a dog lover! (Especially when they slobber on my trousers and jump up to my nice clean jacket with muddy paws.) I may love the owner to bits – yes really – but I can’t bring myself to love the animal. I can usually just put up with such animal behaviour with a small measure of grace, but, Oh me – I find it hard! I’m really glad the bible doesn’t say ‘Love the owner, so love the dog.’ Does it? (Is anybody still reading this sad personal confession?)
Not so with people however! In the faith context God says to us ‘ If you love the Father – then you must also love the child.’
It brings us right back to the issue of loving one another in the Christian community. If you and I are children of the same Heavenly Father then I am under an obligation to love you. Such love might not begin as an emotional response to you, or a strong feeling of warmth towards you; it may in fact begin as an act of my inner will that notches up a gear to respond to the command to love one another. But love I will, and allow God to change my willing love into a warm and gracious love that wants to seek the best for you.
Let love, reflected from Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, characterise our fellowship at The Hub – for His greater glory. AMEN.