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Add Love to your Brotherly Kindness
2 Peter 1:5~7
Add ... to brotherly kindness, love.
Have you ever been in a circumstance where you had to perform or produce a certain way in order to earn or receive someone's love? I hope not, because I have, and it is very frustrating, defeating and exhausting.
We were reminded yesterday that brotherly kindness is often translated as brotherly love, so our verse today would almost appear to be redundant. But, when we look at the original words, they are different. Brotherly love is philadelphia, but the word in our verse today is agape. Agape is a deep seated love and is the word that is used when the Bible speaks of God's love. Oh, but that adds depth and sweetness to our consideration for today!
This is the kind of love that God bestows upon those who put their faith in Christ. It enables you and me, dear fellow believer, to love in a way which is beyond natural love. When Jesus told his disciples to "Love your enemies," agapao is the word He used. Is it possible to have love for someone I don't even like? Yes, it is. When Jesus told His disciples to "love one another," agapao is what He used. When Paul wrote that we should love one another, agapao is what he used. That's the love about which we're talking!
This is the kind of love the world needs, and God has given it to you and me to grace our particular world. Please pray with me the sentiments ofEphesians 5:1-2:
Gracious Father God, may I be an imitator of You, as a dearly loved child, and may I live a life of love, just as Christ loved me and gave Himself up for me as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to You, O God, for I ask this in His precious name. Amen.
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