1 Peter 4:8 "And above all things have fervent love among yourselves:
for love shall cover the multitude of sins."
Grace flows naturally from the wellspring of love. When I love others
as Jesus loves me I can generously forgive the mistakes of others,
understand their weaknesses, and be ready to help when needed. Love
prompts me to weighmy words so that I won't hurt or offend.
Of course sometimes I do, I don't want to. Love teaches me to be humble
and applaud the success of others. Love is sacrificial, even risking
life for another.
John 15:13 "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down
his life for his friend."
There's a story about more than 100 salvation army leaders that booked
passage on the ship "Empress of Ireland," many years ago. The liner
sank and over 1000 lives were lost.
Among them were the salvation army leaders and when their bodies were
recovered not one of them had on a life belt. Survivors told how these
men responded with courage when they learned the ship was sinking. Not
enough life belts had been provided so the officers removed their belts
and gave them to other passengers that they were afraid did not have a
relationship with Christ. One of them was heard saying,"because I know
my Saviour." As the ship went down these soldiers of the cross stood
prayerfully on the deck until they were engulfed by the sea.
"Greater love hath no man" few of us will ever be called to face that
kind of decision. Jesuswent much further when He laid down His life,
not for His friends, but even for those that he knew would reject Him,
the ones who spit in His face and brutally beat Him. He did it for them
hoping that someday they would change their mind.
How moving is it when we realize that because of this sacrifice, the
gates of heaven are flung open to receive sinners such as I, who repent
and accept salvationso freely offered.
"Dear Saviour we would know Thy love which yet no measure knows;
for us it led Thee once to die; from thence salvation flows."
Harold A Miller
