Love Commanded

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself (Matthew 22:37-39).

God's two greatest commandments concern love. If we could follow these two commandments we'd never have to worry about being obedient or doing the right thing again. This covers it all, But only Jesus got it right. Both loving Him and loving others are what God wants first and foremost. I think this is the reason David was a "man after God's own heart," although he committed some pretty horrific sins. He did repent, and he loved the Lord and cared about others. The way he treated Saul, Jonathan, and Mephibosheth shows it.

Read 1 Corinthians 13. Of course, "charity" means love if you are using that version. The word "love" is used 281 times in the Bible. Doesn't that say something about its importance? I think love is a basic need of all people, although some don't recognize it. I can't imagine a world without love. I think there's a name for such a place, and it begins with "h."

And above all things have fervent charity [love] among yourselves: for charity [love] shall cover the multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8).

Did you get that? Love covers a multitude of sins. That's "sins" - in the plural. I lived by this verse as a parent when my children were growing up. Some parenting decisions were hard. I prayed, did the best I knew how, and figured my deep love would cover the mistakes. It seemed to work. Learn to love unconditionally, like Christ. Let His love flow through you into others. Love. 

And now abideth faith, hope, charity [love], these three; but the greatest of these is charity [love] (1 Corinthians 13;13).