God's Messy Love

Scripture – 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13: ¹¹Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. ¹²May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. ¹³May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

Reflection: Life in the Christian community always comes back to love. “May the Lord make your love increase….” To me that means I let love grow deeper and establish stronger, firmer roots in me.

This love also is meant to “overflow.” It’s like filling a glass with water. If I don’t stop pouring water into it, it will overflow and everything around it will get wet, as well. Now generally that’s not a good thing in this image of a glass. However, it is God’s intention for the love He pours into me. It is meant to overflow and splash on people around me.

I can choose to let that happen or I can interrupt the flow by blocking out God’s love. That way I can control where it goes and who gets it. However, when I do that, I’m never full myself.

Real love in the church is not intended to be controlled. Like an overflowing glass, it might get messy. At the same time, the love God has for me is not something for me to keep, but to give away.

So this love is meant to “increase and overflow for each other and for everyone.” How will I do that today? How will I let that happen? How will you?