Have you ever noticed that love can grow cold? It can be like bread that is just so delicious and warm when it comes out of the oven but if you neglect it for a few weeks it will be stale and moldy. One of the greatest things we need from God is His love. I don't mean simply His love for us, but His love released within us so that we can love Him and others.
Early this week the Lord really put this message strong on my heart and whispered that this is exactly what many in the church need. The word that comes to mind is "renewal." In our relationships with spouse, parents, children, friends, co-workers, church family and so on, we often need a fresh renewal of love from God. The truth is that people hurt us, abandon us, misunderstand us, reject us and disappoint us. When that happens the natural reaction of the heart is anger and resentment. If this settles into the heart it can harden us and change the way we "feel" about a person. Instead of the love we used to have, we develop ill feelings. We may be quiet about it and put up a good front, but we know that our hearts have soured toward certain people.
I'm afraid no one is exempt from this struggle. We live on planet earth and we cannot escape dealing with flawed people. It's the human experience. But what I want to talk about on Sunday is the wonderful renewing power of God's love. God is willing to dispense into us His fresh love even for those who have hurt us deeply. It's a supernatural love. He enables us to love the way He loves. This is an important message and I'm praying that anything in us that has become sour toward anyone in our lives would become sweet again by the mighty working of the Holy Spirit!
–Pastor Scott A.