What is the first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions love? Do you immediately think of emotional love that brings two people together in relationship? Do you think of a committed love that keeps a couple together for a lifetime? Do you think of work?
We often hear of emotional love. A young couple are attracted to one another. They have emotional feelings for one another. They decide to marry. They have children, love their children, and spend their lives together. But this isn’t the same kind of love spoken of in the Bible.
When the Apostle Paul writes to the church in Colossae, he speaks of their love for every follower of Jesus. It isn’t an emotional love. It is a decision to love and care for fellow believers. It is a committed love.
Why did they have this love? Their hope. They had a hope that they had obtained a better life because of Jesus Christ. They trusted in the promise of eternal life spent with Him. They were living a better life in the present because they came together as a community. They had less worry and anxiety because they believed in the promises of God.
We, too, can experience a better life today when we believe in God’s promises and love one another. When we lay all our fears, worries, and anxiety at Jesus’ feet, our lives become less stressful, our attitudes improve, and our lives are better. It is the hope, or trust, in Jesus that we have that relieves us of the worries of this world.
I pray we all decide to love one another. I pray we choose to trust in God’s promises. I pray each one of us put our hope in Jesus, laying all our fears, worries, and anxiety at His feet. Love one another. Trust God’s promises. Hope in Jesus. Give Jesus your fears, worries, and anxieties.
Colossians 1:3-5a In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.
Marty Pressey 