Chi & The Branch

Worship song: How He Loves by Anthony Evans

Verse: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

 It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

If there is one thing everyone has in common in this world it’s love. How is your love life today? Now of course that depends on how you define love. Is it honeymoon love, Disney or Agape love? Or any of the other Greek loves: eros, philia, storge? The list goes on… My first glimpse of love looked like Disney, it bore the marks of ancient chivalry, princes, drawbridges, damsels in distress, glass slippers and a beautiful knight in shining armour. But as an adult, as I put away all childish things, I realise this is not really love at all. For so many of us, love is the most misunderstood concept on earth. This world is filtered by screens and Netflix romance, roses, chocolate and Valentine propaganda, all of which are an unrealistic portrayal of the true dynamism and the enduring nature of real Christ-like love. The kingdom standard of love reflects the verse above, so for the past few weeks I have asked myself at times am I really even ready for it? What sacrifices am I willing to make in all my relationships? Whose feet will I wash today? Because true love is a choice, a brave decision to commit to meet someone else’s needs for the rest of our lives and expect nothing in return. It’s simply agape (selfless, universal love).  

So I begin to choke, my former thoughts begin to unwind once I realise that I have been living in a state of conditional love. There always appears to be a reason to love someone, when in fact God never tells us in the bible why He loves us, He just does. I stand by Dr Myles Munroe, who purposefully stated that ‘the minute you give someone a reason to love, it’s not really love.’ Wherever there is condition, there is expectation and expectation breeds disappointment. But we should already know that nothing in life remains the same, love changes. Perhaps it used to be fierce with puppy dog eyes, daily messaging and heart emojis gone wild. But now it’s a crown of grey, a scheduled call and an involuntary ‘I just miss you’ every now and again. It’s still love. Yet, today we see so many relationships bleed because the previous flame has burnt out or ‘you don’t have the same feelings’. When really, the love is still there, but the language has changed, the way we express ourselves has altered with time. And we forget the most important law of biblical love – GOD IS LOVE. Love is not a feeling, feelings or emotions are just temporary fleeting chemicals in the brain. Sometimes I laugh to think or even imagine a world in which God responded to us based on how we treat him or based on fickle feelings.

Forgive me! This message is longer than most, but it’s so overlooked I need us to fully comprehend it. This message is a call to all relationships whether friends, family, courting, marriages, colleagues etc. I am sharing this with you based on the lessons the Spirit has educated me on. I recognise that enduring love is a challenge, but God gives us the answer, because Jesus is love, ask Him to teach you how to love, as He loves us. Believe me, He never intended for you to do it alone. On our own, it can be so difficult to love someone who bears bitterness or anger towards you, but as soon as you walk with Him walking in love is half the journey.  

Prayer:  Jesus my friend and greatest love, before my feet touch the floor this morning, I ask you to search my heart and put a new one within me. Thank you for loving me, for calling me beloved in every season under the sun. Help me to walk in you Law of love so that I might abound in covenantal relationships like Jonathan and David who loved one another as in soul. Jesus, let this be the quality of love I prepare myself for, one that gives me freedom to enjoy loving without expectation, as you do. Your Commission of love sets me free from offense of others and floods me with joy. Thank you for loving me enough to tell me the truth, thank you for disciplining me in love and providing a kind of holy love which separates us from the world and immerses us in your outrageous Grace. I am open, I am ready to love unconditionally. Amen