Rivers of Love

There was a time, not too long ago, when I finally recognized my lack of love for my fellow man. Earthquakes and tsunamis, murders and rapes came and went and I was untouched by them. Nothing stirred within me to respond with money or myself. At the same time, I recognized that, on the individual level, I had the same lack of compassion. I don't respond with caring to those who are close to me and those I happen to meet in life's days. I read in 1 John so much about love: "He that loves not, knows not God, for God is love;" "If God so loved us, then we ought to love one another;" "God is love and he who abides in love, abides in God and God abides in him." These scriptures pushed me toward trying to love. "I must love this unloving person." But I could not find the sense of love at all within myself. So I prayed, "Lord, give me love, give me compassionate feelings for my fellow man. You command me to love; it is in your Word, so please give me the feeling of love for those around me." Nothing changed. Then a new thought dawned: It is not a feeling of love but the reality of love that He is asking from us. So now I prayed, "Lord give me love for my fellow man. It's in the Word that you want me to love; I don't have love, You are the source of love, please give me Your love." Nothing happened. then, last night, I was meditating on 1 Corinthians 13, specifically on the phrase "Love is patient." In studying the verse, I reinterpreted it something like this: "Love endures past all anger and hatred." But that's not the main point of this. Suddenly it dawned on me: God, Himself; He Himself, is love. How could I have missed it? In having Him, in His indwelling, I have love, for He Himself is love. John is not saying, "Here, have some love provided by God," but, "Have God and you will have love, the very source and essence of love, the wellspring of love, dwelling in you. His love will overwhelm and flow out of you in a never-ending spring that refreshes and feeds those around you. You will become loving, not because you have received the feeling of love, nor the portion of love. You will be love." So now my prayer is this, "Lord, you indwell me. I open my heart, my mouth, myself to be the channel of your love to this world of Yours." 1.17.10