Genuine love transforms

Lily is grateful to God for the love He has filled in her heart through the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5). This truth has revolutionized the way she expresses love. Lily grew up dividing love into compartments and establishing boundaries. As she read the Bible, she realized that God is the source of love in her. Questions about the teaching she grew up with began to fill her mind. It was becoming clear to her, that as a child of God she needed to love like God and that God’s love is one.

The realisation that God’s holy love cannot be compartmentalised changed lily›s perspective. God loves all of creation equally; He causes his sun to shine on all equally. God›s redeeming and transforming love, compels Jane to be involved in bringing about positive change in issues of inequality and discrimination, according to which people get labelled as rich and poor, pure and impure.

Lily now realises that when she says “I love you,” in moments of caring or authentic appreciation, these words arise from the Holy Spirit. God is perfectly pure and gives her the capacity to open herself and say yes without reserve. The warm and radiant yes of the heart stemming from her imperfect life is like the sun bringing all things to life and nourishing all of God›s precious creation.

The love of God is poured into lily’s heart by the Holy Spirit so that she can love like Christ. Jesus is the model of sacrificial and redeeming love for Jane, and for all followers of Jesus Christ. Isn’t it a difficult calling to love like Jesus? Yes it is! No wonder Jesus said, take up your cross and follow me. But we can take heart knowing that Jesus never leaves us alone. We need to listen to God’s voice in humility and understanding what the Holy Spirit is guiding us to do. Imagine how the world will look if we take small steps to love all of God’s creation.