A covering kind of love...

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."
1 Peter 4:8

Love covers all...

"God so loved the world that he sent his one and only begotten son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:16

Love saves...

I have experienced both of these. I know that I am loved by God so much that he sent his only son to die for me. But in the last year I have lived them in ways that I never could have imagined.

Love covered sins committed against me. Love saved relationships. Love kept me whole.

Once again love covered all and saved someone I love...

I have a friend who struggles with some pretty heavy stuff. She goes through periods where she has harmed herself several times. I have gone through several periods with her when she is in this dark place. It is scary and frustrating to watch her experience such torment and know that she is worth so much more than what she is feeling.

This time I handled it differently because of what I have experienced in the last year.

I loved her. I told her that I loved her over and over. I told her that she was believing lies... that she was worth more than how she was feeling. I kept telling her that I loved her even when she called me "Tweedledum".

I just loved her like I am loved by the King. Just like he loves me... even in my darkness... even when I tell him I hate him.... even when I sin.

And because of love... she didn't hurt herself. God covered her in his love and saved her from hurting herself.

And I was blessed to be a witness to his glorious love and amazing power!

Love works. When it's just love... no hidden agendas, no walls, no opinions of what needs to be done, no judgment... just love.

God's love.

It's only because of Jesus am I able to love. He pours his love into me so that I can pour it out onto others. All I have to do is receive... I don't have to work for it. Just receive it as the gift that it is.

Love... it's that simple but so powerful.