In my word study of agape love today, the Lord arrested my soul and plunged me deeper into the infinite wonder of His love.  Lately I have been doing an in depth study of God’s agape love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.  I’ve been using the bible and Rick Renner’s book, Sparkling Gems From the Greek, 365 Greek Word Studies for Every Day of the Year To Sharpen Your Understanding of God’s Word.

I could camp out on agape love forever.  Holy Spirit has been gently guiding me into the ocean of God’s love through my journaling in a series called 30 Days to Breakthrough.  You can sign up for free at http://30-days-to-breakthrough.com.

Today’s focus was from 1 Corinthians 13:4,5: Love seeks not its own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil.  I am embarrassed to say that I had the thought to skip over this study.  I proudly thought: this doesn’t apply to me!  What would I learn from this?

Well… God knows the intents of our hearts.  Holy Spirit stopped me cold when Rick Renner was talking about how God doesn’t drag up your past before you all the time!  In fact, He forgave you (Psalm 103:3) and instead chooses to never remember it.  That got my mind reeling.  I recalled from Psalm 103:1,2: As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our sins from us.  I turned the page and there was that scripture.  I thanked Holy Spirit because that was a sign that He was working in my heart.

Renner was talking about how high-level agape love behaves.  It was like looking into a mirror of God’s perfect love through His Word.  When he got to 1 Cor 13:5… Thinketh no evil… God began to lovingly pierce my heart with truth!

Logidzomai is the Greek word for  “thinketh.” It is an accounting term better translated “to count or to reckon.” Literally it means to credit to someone’s account. Imagine a bookkeeper meticulously keeping accurate financial records, entering every debit and credit on the books.  Now imagine yourself as a spiritual bookkeeper when you have been offended.  Did you painstakingly store in your memory all the mistakes, faults, grievances, disappointments, failures, or perceived wrongdoings someone made against you?

This is when God’s conviction struck my heart.  I asked myself in horror: Am I “thinking evil” simply by remembering these offenses, real or perceived?  Am I keeping mental records of wrong just by remembering or talking about it over and over like a broken record?  When I so easily thought of others in this kind of behavior I could see myself.

I kept reading Psalm 103 again and again.  God’ agape love washed over me in its cleansing, healing power.  All I could do was cry and praise Him for His grace, loving kindness and mercy for me.  I realized the important thing to remember is that when evil thoughts do pop up in my thinking, I must be quick to repent and ask for forgiveness when I have ought against others.  I must keep short accounts.

I got a vision of God as a blanket falling from heaven.  He completely covered me so you couldn’t even see me.  He kept me from being exposed by all the ugliness and shame of my past sins because He thinks no evil of me.

His grace, love, mercy and forgiveness are so complete.  He chooses not to remember or even see me in the clothing ie: bonds, chains and effects of the wickedness and evil of my sins.  Instead He protects, loves, cherishes, and adores me in is perfection and love.  I picture His perfect love as a “supernatural rotor rooter” that roots and flushes out all the sin in our heart that does not line up with His Word.

I have been forgiven much.  It’s a debt I could never pay in full, but He did it freely and joyfully for me at His greatest cost through the life of His own blood.  Once my forgiven sins are under the blood of Jesus, I am separated from them forever.  I am so grateful as the reality of His agape love washes over me.

I want to be more like Jesus.  I am crying while pondering the wonder and magnitude of God’s love.  I think of the gift of His agape love that was shed abroad in my heart the moment I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior.  I am still, and will be forever unwrapping, understanding and embracing the fullness of His love for me and all mankind.

I cried for my loved ones and all those who have yet to accept Jesus’ free gift of grace, let alone begin to unwrap and embrace the wonder of it all.

Love in Jesus,

Abigail Slocum
A pen in God’s hand giving “LOVE” a voice

Abigail777.com

Prayer Power

Dear Lord God, thank you for the blood of Jesus.  Help me to be like Him.  I choose to think no evil of others or myself.  I choose to forgive as I have been forgiven.  Help me to practice and spread Your agape love in Jesus name.  Amen