Verse of the Day 9/1

Verse of the Day 9/1

1 Peter 4:8-9   Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. ⁹ Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.    New Living Translation (NLT)

For today's verses we'll return to 1 Peter chapter 4.  Peter has been laying out what Christian living is about which involves loving God and one another and not going along with the crowd but living according to God's will for us.  It is not a superficial love, the English Standard Version below says we are to love one another "earnestly"; in other words sincerely to the point where we may be strained or "stretched to the limit", but it is not our power that enables us to do so, it is through God's power working through us.  We are simply channels.

The next word to draw our attention is the thought that love "covers".  It is not burying it under the rug but it is willing to get past them, put them behind, allowing us to move forward in relationships and in love.

Don Fortner writes, "Love covers, overlooks, speedily forgives and forgets. Love invents reasons to avoid strife. Love puts the best possible construction on doubtful matters. Love seeks unity and agreement. Love does not rigidly examine a brother's failures. It will not deliberately expose a brother's faults. It refuses to uncover the sins of another.....Who among us does not need the full extent of this covering? What is our brother's evil against us, compared with our sin against God? Can we hesitate to blot out our brother's few dollars, who look for a covering for our debt of ten million dollars to God? Let us imitate Christ's spirit of forbearing, forgiving, self-sacrificing love!

Think about that "speedily forgives and forgets", "avoids strife" and "refusing to uncover" the sins of another.  How do we measure up?  I know that I certainly have work to do.  But by relying on God's future grace we can apply these qualities in our lives.

How I praise Thee, precious Savior,   That Thy love laid hold of me; Thou hast saved and cleansed and filled me,   That I might Thy channel be.
	Channels only, blessed Master,   But with all Thy wondrous grace, Flowing through us, Thou canst use us     Every hour in every place.
2	Just a channel, full of blessing,   To the thirsty hearts around; To tell out Thy full salvation,   All Thy loving message sound.

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

1 Peter 4:7-11 English Standard Version (ESV)

⁷ The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. ⁸ Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. ⁹ Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. ¹⁰ As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: ¹¹ whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.