Increase and Abound in Love

Every now and then a verse jumps out at me and says

THIS IS IMPORTANT!

And I wonder why I never realized it before. But I believe that is the living and active part of the Word: God knows where I'm at in my walk with Him and He knows what I need at this moment and He always provides it. GOD IS GOOD.

So, the jumped-out verse is:

"And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all . . . so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints."  I Thessalonians 3:12-13



W.E. Vines also paraphrases the passage like this:

"The Lord enables you more and more to spend your lives in the interests of others in order that He may so establish you in Christian character now, that you may be vindicated from every charge that might possibly be brought against you at the Judgment seat of Christ."

Maybe "love covers a multitude of sins" comes into play here.


So, I guess the ah-ha moment for me here was this:

The exercise of LOVE is the means God uses to develop Christ-likeness in His children

SO THAT we are covered at the Judgment.

It's like an insurance policy!

Somehow, that perspective makes it easier to love in ALL circumstances.

I want my heart to be established blameless in holiness.

So Lord, please make me increase and abound in love.

Because with you, all things are possible.