Is there such a thing as “intentional love”?
If one is intentional, they are deliberate to plan or design a certain action to accomplish a certain task or agenda. The action had previous forethought. Therefore, the task did not happen by accident.
So again I ask, is there such a thing as “intentional love”?
Let’s take a closer look at one man who is only mentioned twice in the New Testament by Paul. His name is Onesiphorus (On-ay-sif-or-us). Paul asks the Lord to show mercy on the household of Onesiphorus. Why? Because Onesiphorus refreshed Paul, supported Paul, and diligently sought Paul out and found him so he might encourage Paul despite the chains of imprisonment.
“May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.”
~II Timothy 1:16-18
Would you say this is “intentional love”? I say yes and amen! O that all of us would be an Onesiphorus to one another. We need to purposefully seek out fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and encourage, refresh, and help one another until the day of our Lord’s return. We should never go it alone for a chord of three strands is not easily broken.
Let us not forget this Easter season the life of one solitary man who was born that He might die. Jesus was sent by the Father to save us from all sin and unrighteousness. At any time Christ could have called upon the angels to save Him from certain death, but He choose me…He choose you… as worthy enough causes to inflict himself with nail piercing pain as he hung upon the cross. Jesus Christ came to give intentional love.
When Pilot asked Jesus if he was in fact a king in John 18:37, Jesus answered…
“You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
So let us hush our souls in a quiet moment with Jesus. Allow Him the chance to whisper softly through the beauty of the Holy Spirit names of those who need refreshed and encouraged. May we listen, seek to find, and give “intentional love”!
If one is intentional, they are deliberate to plan or design a certain action to accomplish a certain task or agenda. The action had previous forethought. Therefore, the task did not happen by accident.
So again I ask, is there such a thing as “intentional love”?
Let’s take a closer look at one man who is only mentioned twice in the New Testament by Paul. His name is Onesiphorus (On-ay-sif-or-us). Paul asks the Lord to show mercy on the household of Onesiphorus. Why? Because Onesiphorus refreshed Paul, supported Paul, and diligently sought Paul out and found him so he might encourage Paul despite the chains of imprisonment.
“May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.”
~II Timothy 1:16-18
Would you say this is “intentional love”? I say yes and amen! O that all of us would be an Onesiphorus to one another. We need to purposefully seek out fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and encourage, refresh, and help one another until the day of our Lord’s return. We should never go it alone for a chord of three strands is not easily broken.
Let us not forget this Easter season the life of one solitary man who was born that He might die. Jesus was sent by the Father to save us from all sin and unrighteousness. At any time Christ could have called upon the angels to save Him from certain death, but He choose me…He choose you… as worthy enough causes to inflict himself with nail piercing pain as he hung upon the cross. Jesus Christ came to give intentional love.
When Pilot asked Jesus if he was in fact a king in John 18:37, Jesus answered…
“You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
So let us hush our souls in a quiet moment with Jesus. Allow Him the chance to whisper softly through the beauty of the Holy Spirit names of those who need refreshed and encouraged. May we listen, seek to find, and give “intentional love”!
1 comment:
Beautiful, I love it!
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