Agape Love

I was browsing through the net because I wanted to see if agape love is spelled in english the same way it is spelled in spanish, and it is. I found an interesting article while browsing that showed me once more how far away I am of being the way God wants me to be and how much I really yearn to be more like Him, even though it is difficult because sin is still dwelling within me. As it says in Romans 7:14-25 - For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Thanks be to God indeed! I find it very interesting and it gives me great hope that just after acknowledging that with his flesh he serves the law of sin, immediately after Paul also says that "there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do." (Rom. 8:1-3) and also..."but if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness" (Rom. 8:10).

Now...returning to the article, the part that caught my eye the most is when the writer asks you to reflect on 1 Corinthians 13. That kind of love that is talked about in this chapter can only come through God, God is that kind of love. Is not a type of love that flows naturally from us, we need to have God in our lives to be able to experience this love and to be able to share it with others, because as humans and sinners what flows from us is the total opposite of what it says in 1 Cor. 13. I meditated on the questions put out in the article and I found myself lacking on several of them, so it has helped me regroup and ask God to make me more like Him everyday. I really do want to be able to show His love with my life. To be able to stop thinking about myself and think more of what can I do to show God's love to others. Not my kind of love but His.

So now I'll give you the questions so that you can see how you are doing.

As you reflect on these qualities of love from 1 Corinthians 13, ask the Lord to show you how your love measures up to His.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up (1 Corinthians 13:4).

• Are you patient when people inconvenience or bother you?
• Are you kind with your tongue, using well-chosen words to encourage others?
• Are you genuinely glad when someone else is promoted, gets a raise, or is recognized-and you are overlooked?
• Are you content with the basic necessities of life and a right relationship with God?
• Do you boast about your abilities, gifts, accomplishments, or possessions?
• Are you content to do good works without recognition or praise?
• Do you harbor a spirit of pride-an inflated view of yourself?
  
  Love does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil (v. 5).

• Do you have good manners?
• Do you use sarcasm or put-downs that show disrespect?
• Do you consciously look out for the welfare of others above your own?
• Do you fly off the handle or blow up when "crossed?"
• Are you often touchy or thin-skinned?
• Do you keep track of others' offenses or hold a grudge?
• Do you focus on people's quirks and weaknesses instead of their strengths?
  
  Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in truth (v. 6).

• Do you love righteousness? Do you hate evil?
• Are you grieved when you or another believer sins?
• Do you welcome others sharing the truth with you about your life and needs?
• Do you rejoice when truth triumphs? When people turn to God and change?
  
  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (v. 7).

• Are you willing to endure hardships for the sake of others without complaining?
• Have you learned to patiently trust God through the darkest circumstances of life?
• Do you assume positively on people, giving them the benefit of the doubt?
• Have you given up on God's ability to change certain people?
• Does your love remain strong through testing, even when faced with humanly insurmountable obstacles?
• Do you keep loving, even when your efforts are rejected or seem unsuccessful?

I hope these questions will help you reflect and if there are some qualities that you might improve with God's help, please go ahead.

If you would like to read the whole article you can find it at Crosswalk, it's called "How's your love life?