No Matter What

"So, whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets" [Matthew 7:12].

Some yukky stuff has been happening, but believing that "we know that for those who love God all things work together for good" [Romans 8:28a], I have been asking Him what I am supposed to learn from this.  Mike's teaching tonight at Bible study answered at least part of that question for me.  (I believe God is probably doing far more in my life than I will ever understand, but in His mercy, He lets me in on some of it!)

Because God has loved me so much, and has forgiven me so much, I must love NO MATTER WHAT.  I must treat others as I would like to be treated NO MATTER WHAT.  How could I have considered doing differently?  

"And one of them, a lawyer, asked him (Jesus) a question to test him.  'Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?'  And he said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets'" [Matthew 22:35-40].

"Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law" [Romans 13:3].

"Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.  In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.  In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another" [1 John 4:7-11].

As Mike taught us tonight, the whole Bible is summed up in the command to love.

"See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone" [1 Thessalonians 5:15].

This is so exciting!  "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" [1 Thessalonians 5:18].  Thank you, Lord, for this test.  Dear friends, please pray that I will have the grace to love NO MATTER WHAT.