1 Peter 4:8 AMP
[8] Above all, have fervent and unfailing love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins [it overlooks unkindness and unselfishly seeks the best for others].
As always, the audience defines the impact and effect of the message. Peter, one of the disciples of Jesus, had a front-row seat to the amazing things that Jesus did, the messages Hs peached, as well as the exanples He laid down. He introduced himself as an apostle, a special messenger of Jesus Christ, and he was writing to the elect exiles who were now scattered abroad in different places. It was not their choice to be where they were, but the decision to follow Christ came with its impact and consequences. Let it be clear that God did not promise anywhere that the decision to follow Him would be easy or convenient; what He guarantees is His ever- abiding presence.
This has to be what motivates us to remain true to His call upon our lives. The audiience were people chosen and foreknown by God the Father, consecrated by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ, and to be sprinkled with His blood. That should have made them untouchable, but as we know, walking with God does not prevent life from happening to me. They had a choice to be bitter, angry or resistant to the message of Peter, but they made a choice to open up their hearts to the message. As it was then, so is it today. The world will not accept that which it does not understand and cannot control. I have a choice to make: blend in or stand out.
My daily choices and responses to what the world offers me will reflect who I am and what I have. The prayer of Peter at the start of his letter is also instructive: that the peace of God in the hearts of these people will free them from fear. Once fear ia dealt with, what else remains? Only hearts that are free to flow with the love of God. That is the message in the verse above: there are a a lot of things that the Christian experience will demand from you, but there is something that sits above them all, and that is love. Yesterday's devotion focused on what love is, and today's focus also reminds us what God's standards are. God will not lower His standards for anyone.
Remember: God will also not demand from us that which He has not first supplied sufficient grace for. He wants me to have fervent and unfailing love for other people. It is not love that demands that they first deserve it, but love that reaches out, no matter what the other person does. Love is special, in that it helps me see with God's eyes, not mine. Left to me, it will be hard to love if there was no reciprocal feeling, but we come to a place where love is given freely, without conditions, and with grace that overlooks offence. That is what God has given, and it is what He demands from all who are His. Am I His? Are you? God's time of favour is here.
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