The Law of Love

Prayer-Soldier · Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 8:50 pm Post subject: The Law of Love

If you choose you can keep the commandments; it is loyalty to do his will. There are set before you fire and water; to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand. Before man are life and death, whichever he chooses shall be given him. Immense is the wisdom of the LORD; he is mighty in power, and all-seeing. The eyes of God see all he has made; he understands every deed of each man. No man does he command to sin, to none does he give strength for lies. (Sirach 15:15-20)

God grants each of us different gifts through which we join in his community. We choose how to use these gifts, whether it is for our selfish desires or for the service of others. He asks that we use the gifts He grants to perform His will; as we do, we turn towards Him, but if not, we turn away from Him. He does not make the choices for us, but He knows the choices we will make.

It is the evil one who places the temptations of sin before us, but still, it is our choice as to the path we shall follow. The strength to turn from temptation is not always with us, but if we turn to Him, He will point the way. In prayer, we should ask for the strength and wisdom to leave sin behind; our prayers He will grant for those who seek to push the seeds of sin from their heart.

Yet we do speak a wisdom to those who are mature, but not a wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away. Rather, we speak the wisdom of God; mysterious, hidden, which God predetermined before the ages for our glory, and which none of the rulers of this age knew; for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written: â€œWhat eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him,â€ this God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God. (1 Corinthians 2:6-10)

There is much of the creation of God which we do not understand. Our understanding is formed by our senses and our intellect, but we do not see all, we do not comprehend all, for there is much of time and existence which we have not experienced in the short span of our lives. We are dependent upon that which is related to us from the ages, but wary we must be, for all are not truthful in what they preach, some are positioned to deceive, but if we seek the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, we will see through the false prophet, we will see the truth of the Word.

If we know all the consequences of all of our actions, we might be led to different choices. When we are deceived that what we do cannot cause harm to others, we are led into sin; for if we are led to act in a manner which leads to the harm of others, or to act in hate, we cannot act according the commandments of the Lord to love Him and one another. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we see the love God has for us and why He asks us to love one another.

â€œDo not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.â€ (Matthew 5:17-20)

Jesus told us that the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, all our mind and all of our soul. He also said, the second is like it, to love one another as we would love ourselves. He said that all the law and the prophecy depend on these. If we understand these commandments, then, we understand what is in the law. The purpose of the law is so that we will live in peace and in fulfillment of the desire of God for us to live without harm to one another.

Jesus taught us through example and parables that if we are to follow Him, then, we must seek to serve one another. The history of man is one of conflict, violence and war. God calls us to reverse these failings to care for one another. We pray for peace within our day, but peace will not be ours until we learn to turn selfishness into selflessness.

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier