Perfect Love
1 John 4:18
Okay who hasn't heard this verse before? Those who have waltzed around their Bibles some have certainly run across this one and if you're like me you flat out tripped over it on your way to the next verse! Who wants to stop on this one? There is NO fear in love.
Excuse me did you mean none? Not a speck?
Then we quick peek into ourselves for a moment and think oops! Strike one!
but perfect love casts out fear
Perfect?! Are you kidding me? How am I going to muster up perfect love? Strike two!
Next verse! And thus we conclude our in-depth study of 1 John 4:18
Well this year the Lord started working on something. A mysterious little project of His that had me right in the middle of it! What was this project? 1 John 4:18 Perfecting love. Of course He didn't tell me that this was what we were working on we just started.
After Jesus was resurrected from the dead, he meets with his disciples on the seashore and He asks Peter 3 times, "Do you love Me?"
In English we have one word for love. I love you, I love my new carpet, I love when they have my favorite shampoo on sale! Not so in the Bible.
When Jesus asked Peter "Do you love Me?" His word was Agapao. (to love dearly) But when Peter replies his "love" is Phileo. (to like, be fond of) Peter couldn't say agapao. Still we see that in 1 and 2 Peter every time Peter uses the word "love" it is agapao. Love had to be perfected in Peter.
This perfecting of love wasn't about how I loved other people, it was about how I loved Him. He supplies the Perfect Love, but I must be willing to trust Him to put it in me.
I could say I loved the Lord more than anything and it was true. But my fear had put up all kinds of "safe guards" to protect myself from the very One I said I loved.
Could I trust Him with the unknown?
Could I trust Him in disappointment?
Could I trust Him to live one day at a time?
Could I trust Him when I missed out on my favorite things?
Could I trust Him when things didn't go like I wanted them to?
Could I trust Him when I didn't think I had enough time to do what He's called me to?
Could I trust Him when I was exhausted and there was no end in sight?
Could I trust Him when I was weak and had to keep pushing?
Could I trust Him when I was in the refining fire?
Could I trust Him with my heart?
Could I trust Him to take care of me ALL the time?
Could I love Him without fear?
He had adopted me as His own, and I had come to love Him greatly, but on my terms. When I wanted a comforting shoulder to cry on I knew where He was, when I needed advice I knew just who to ask, when I wanted to dream and talk about the future there was no one better to chat with! I felt close to Him and would do anything He asked.
But when life put me in vulnerable positions, the enemy of love would always come creeping in. I was afraid of Him, and I knew having nothing more than my paper thin wall to hide behind I was at His mercy.
I wasn't coming to Him, He was coming to me, to rescue me from my fear. In every one of the situations listed above, He held out His hand to me as I coward in the corner and showed me I was only hiding from His grace, His faithfulness, His gentleness... His love.
Nine months after we had begun this journey, I found a new growth sprouting up inside my heart. What is this? I didn't know.
Then the Lord brought up my old "favorite" verse. Perfect love casts out fear.
That little sprout of love amazed me! It wasn't afraid.
I am here to testify that you don't need to skip over this verse anymore! Perfect love is possible! But you must be willing to allow Him to plant it inside of you. And you must be willing to abandon the safety of your corner when He comes to find you hiding in it.
I'm still a work in progress, but I invite you to join me on this amazing journey and you too will find He is everything He promised He would be.
He is stable.
He is comforting.
He leads one step at a time.
He is fulfilling.
He makes a way.
He is in control.
He gives grace freely!
He is strong.
He is gentle.
He NEVER leaves!
He is a Father like none other.
He is Perfect Love.
(Ginny Owen's "No Borders" Lyrics video)
No Borders
By Ginny Owens
I hide behind the comfort of my castle
Where everything is up to me
These walls are high
But not enough to drown out
The whispers and the wondering of what I haven’t seen.
You call me to the great unknown of all You have for me.
(chorus)
No borders, no boundaries, could ever be enough
To hold back the wonder of Your overwhelming flood
In the beauty of Your mystery freely now I run
With no borders, no boundaries
Lord I’m surrendered to Your love
It’s time that I abandon the familiar
To chase what I don’t understand
You’re teaching me that when I trust Your promise
I finally find the promised land
(chorus)
No borders, no boundaries, could ever be enough
To hold back the wonder of Your overwhelming flood
In the beauty of Your mystery freely now I run
With no borders, no boundaries
Lord I’m surrendered to Your love
So when the night surrounds me
And I can’t hear Your heartbeat
I’ll hold on to what I know
That even in the trial
Lord You are always faithful
You will lead me back to hope.
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