Loving the Unlovable

Pre Game

“I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together, with all the Lord's people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

Ephesians 3:16-18

Warm Up

Do you have any enemies in sport?  Enemies are those on your team or who you compete against that you do not get along with.  It might even be your coach, referees or the fans.  They might get on your nerves, or you disrespect one another.  Who are they?  

Do you have any enemies outside of the sport arena?  It could even be those who gets on your nerves all the time, who you generally avoid or push away.  The easy way dealing with your enemies usually is just avoiding them or trying to have as little interaction as possible.  Always being on the defensive.  I struggled with this so I prayed a very dangerous prayer that was found in Ephesians 3:16-18 a while back: 

"I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together, with all the Lord's people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." 

I asked God to teach me this love so that I may be filled with Him to the full. I thought He was going to send me the best people and nicest people.  But instead He allowed enemies and people that could not love me back to cross paths with me.  I did not understand it at the time but then I realized that His love does not make sense. His love surpasses knowledge.  

Loving those who do love you does not make sense at all!  But He calls us to know this love that surpasses knowledge.  It does not make sense to lay your life down for others, but the promise that accompanies it is amazing.  We will "be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."  We will be completely filled by God!  Amazing!  

Therefore at the beginning I did not want to love my enemies and those who get on my nerves but God is saying that when I do, I will be filled with Him completely.  As humans this is not possible, but by His Holy Spirit it is.