Let us Love One Another

(Written a while back by my sister, Ruth Lauridsen)
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 1 John 4:7-8

Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another… We love him, because he first loved us. 1 John 4:11 & 19

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:10

Yesterday, when I went to Church, some people came who I hadn’t seen in awhile. And me who loves to be social, was disappointed and a bit hurt when I didn’t get such a boisterous or as energetic response back when I greeted them.
But it got me thinking, Is that not the same as with God? God loved me so much and for so long I didn’t respond to His love.
Instead of getting in a huff about it, He just loved me anyway, even though I didn’t respond for so long. How much hurt that must have caused Him!

God commands us to love others, to forgive others, to be kind to others, and the command does not go with the condition of “only if they are kind to you, only if they simply adore you, only if they ask forgiveness.” No, He commands us to love. He wants us to just do it anyway, whether or not others respond in the same way. He has already set the example-- He came down from Heaven, He loved US, and gave up His life for US, EVEN though we were enemies of God. He didn’t wait till we begged Him to come from heaven, He didn’t wait for us to love Him. No, He did it anyway,- whether or not we loved Him.
“He that saith he abideth in him ought himself to walk, even as he walked. 1 John 2:6

Since writing the first section of this, God has taught me even more.
What do we do when people walk into our lives that we find hard? For example, on our farm we have tourists come and work on the farm. We have a tourist staying now that I find more difficult that the others. For me I like to be bubbly, talkative and friendly and my way of being friendly can be sometimes to be “goofy”! But alas this tourist seems a more awkward, serious, shy fellow.
So if I live to what I want to do, I could simply ignore this tourist and make no effort to be nice or pleasant, But what does God say about this? I love the way the Amplified puts this second verse “ Let love for your fellow believers continue and be a fixed practice with you [never let it fail]. Do not forget or neglect or refuse to extend hospitality to strangers [in the brotherhood — being friendly cordial and gracious, sharing the comforts of your home and doing your part generously, ] for through it some have entertained angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:1-2 AMP
God doesn’t ask us to simply be friendly and show hospitality or love just those who are our style, who we find easy, or those who show that kind of spirit back, No, He calls us to love those He sends our way in the same way He has loved us. He calls us to be friendly to
those we would rather just ignore. He wants us to forgive those to whom we don’t want to,


Master, May we learn to love as you loved, not to love, forgive, and be kind only to get something in return or only if it is convenient, but may we love, forgive and be kind to others in the same way You have.