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REFLECTION

Stop trying to like and start start trying to love is the theme for our reflection. Like can be used to indicate a preference for someone or something. Love means a strong feeling towards someone. Liking someone means that you are happy to be with that person. Loving someone means that you cannot live without that person. Like is conditional, love is unconditional. We are called upon to demonstrate love for the perishing and become and an instrument of God’s grace and deliverance in their lives.

Saul who was also known as Paul encountered the Lord when he was on his way to persecute the believers at Damascus. He became blind as result of the supernatural encounter with the Lord. The Lord could have punished or destroyed him but He loved Him and saved Him. Paul was going to be used for the glory of God and the salvation of many. Ananias was rather surprised when the Lord sent him to go and open Saul’s eyes and baptise him. He was surprised because Saul was an avowed enemy of the church of Christ. In other words, why will God love and save a sinner who had the blessing and permission of the Jewish authorities to destroy the Lord’s own people? Even Ananias, a disciple of Christ could not fully understand the love of God for such an evil person. After God had sent him “… Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit…” (Acts 9:13-17)

Belove in the Lord, perhaps, the best Ananias could do to please God is to like Saul because the Lord wanted him to be saved. It is difficult to love some people because of their past and what they represented or stood for. It may be hard to accept some people as fellow believers even if they appear to have repented because of the hurt or pain they caused us in the past. The message of the day is that, as children of God we are beneficiaries of God’s grace and love, therefore, we must stop trying to like and start trying to love people who have also become children of God regardless of their past. God welcomes all and sundry who are willing to repent and become beneficiaries of His salvation and grace, our only duty is to avail ourselves to be used by the Lord to heal and revive the lost and the perishing. This is the reason Jesus came into the world to save us, therefore, He assures us that “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him”. (John 3:16-17). Let us go out there and stop trying to like and start trying to love so that we can win more souls for the Lord. Shalom.

PRAYER

Dear Lord Jesus, help us to develop unconditional love for those who may have hurt us in past and make us an instrument of transformation in their lives. May we reflect and radiate your perfect love in our interaction and relationship with others. Amen