The main verse for reading and meditation is worth thinking about, (1 Thessalonians 3:12, NIV): “May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other … ” For me, it again shows that it by God’s help that we are able to love the ‘difficult’ people in our lives. It is not something we can manage by depending on our own skills, talents or strength.
In regard, to this section in today’s study: “It is my belief that God has so arranged our lives that as we relate to one another in our horizontal relationships, our experience of Him deepens. I have found that the better I relate to others in the Church, the better I relate to God. Human relationships brought God closer to me.”
My experience has been the exact opposite – the stronger my relationship with God has become, then (and only then) – my relationships with other Christians have grow stronger. What’s your thoughts on this point?
However, I agree with Selwyn’s conclusion: “God intends our relationships to be the means by which we give each other a much clearer picture of His own love for us.” There are a number of verses from the Bible which support this statement – by our love for each other, the world will know that we are His disciples.
Coming back to the start of this post – this is something we can ask Jesus, in prayer, to help us with – because He has the power to increase our love to the point that it will overflow from us, to those around us. Do you agree?
Vertical and horizontal
The main verse for reading and meditation is worth thinking about, (1 Thessalonians 3:12, NIV): “May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other … ” For me, it again shows that it by God’s help that we are able to love the ‘difficult’ people in our lives. It is not something we can manage by depending on our own skills, talents or strength.
In regard, to this section in today’s study: “It is my belief that God has so arranged our lives that as we relate to one another in our horizontal relationships, our experience of Him deepens. I have found that the better I relate to others in the Church, the better I relate to God. Human relationships brought God closer to me.”
My experience has been the exact opposite – the stronger my relationship with God has become, then (and only then) – my relationships with other Christians have grow stronger. What’s your thoughts on this point?
However, I agree with Selwyn’s conclusion: “God intends our relationships to be the means by which we give each other a much clearer picture of His own love for us.” There are a number of verses from the Bible which support this statement – by our love for each other, the world will know that we are His disciples.
Coming back to the start of this post – this is something we can ask Jesus, in prayer, to help us with – because He has the power to increase our love to the point that it will overflow from us, to those around us. Do you agree?