Page 113 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 21

The Finale of our topic “Love in different dimensions”:

Love is a lifelong learning process

If loving God and one‘s neighbour is the highest commandment, then love is the most exci�ng, the
greatest and most fascina�ng thing there is, regardless of how long we have already been Chris�ans!

Loved?
God’s will is that we should be loved as children, especially by those
closest to us, such as e.g. our parents.

Loved by God?
At some point will face the ques�on of whether we wish to see our-
selves as being loved by God and if we wish to surrender ourselves
completely to this. The key point here is conversion as a about-turn
and moment of dedica�on in life.

Loved + x?
This experience of God’s love in Jesus Christ, received as a free gi�, then
finds expression in ac�on (= x) for the Kingdom of God. “What is our cal-
ling? What should we be doing?” - These are the ques�ons that occupy us.

x + loving?
But as the years pass, these ac�ons (= x) step increasingly into the
foreground and gradually a new ques�on emerges: How much more
love can we give? As we know, nothing should be done except in love.

Loving + x
Something of the mystery of God’s greatness and love is revealed in
the next period of life: Surely love is more important than all our ac�-
vi�es? “Love, and do whatever you wish”, Augus�ne said.
(Referring, of course, to deeds which involve no conscious sinning.)

Loving God
And finally: Loving God. Everything else moves into the background.
The breadth and length and height and depth of divine love is
enough, enough for me, for everything.

Love – Jesus’ love and our own love – is the source of joy.

Sugges�on for prayer: Seek God’s eyes
Blaise Pascal said: Man finds his only firm hold in the loving eyes of God.
God is permanently looking at you with pleasure and goodwill. Even at this very moment.
This gaze is something very in�mate, something that we long for in the depths of our heart.
Fall silent in prayer and try to become a receiver of gi�s, become aware that God is looking at you.
He looks at you with goodwill: “I wish the best for you.”
He looks at you with pleasure: “I rejoice when I see you.”

Werner May, Germany

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