Prophet’s Reading Plan: Isaiah 9- 12
But the fruit of the
Spirit is love…
1 Corinthians 16:14; Do everything in love.
In
his final instructions to the Corinthian church in his first letter to them,
Paul exhorts them to be on guard, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, and
to do everything in love. Though Paul had already addressed the issue of love
earlier in the letter (in the epic love chapter), he felt the urgency to
command them one last time: Do everything
in love.
This
is a high calling that is certainly unattainable without the power of the Holy
Spirit in our lives. We are innately self-centred people whose desire is to do
everything out of selfish ambition. If we would stop to examine our hearts and
our motives behind what we say and do, we would likely find many places where,
though a word or action appears
loving, it has been said and done out of insecurity or malice or some other
form of selfishness. But as the fruit of love is nurtured and developed in our
lives, God reaches even into these deep dark places of the heart.
The
heart is a garden: as it is watered by love – the love of God and of others –
love seeps down to the very roots of the plants that grow there. Let love seep
into the motives of your heart; let God speak into the heart behind your words
and actions, that you would truly become a person who does everything out of
love.
PRAYER AND MEDITATION
1. Who are some people in your life that God has blessed you
with who have really shown you love? Spend some time thanking God for them.
Plan how you can bless them in turn by letting them know how much they mean to
you.
2. Think through your past week – think about your
interactions with others and the things you said and did. Look deeply behind those things and ask God to show
you any instances where your motive was impure (done/said out of selfishness
rather than love). Confess this to Him. Ask Him to help you identify what your
motive really was (insecurity, manipulation, etc.).
3. Now ask God to speak to you about the motive you
identified. What does He have to say about it and you? What is His truth? (For
example, if it is insecurity, ask Him His truth about who you are.)
