By Pastor Steve Nickodemus
How Can Our Love be Pure?
“The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”
1 Timothy 1:5 English Standard Version
My little grandson oozes pure love. He is full of joy and laughter and loves to pet and hug people and animals. I look at him and see love from a pure heart.
But often we do not love from a pure heart. We are selfish and self-serving, full of our own desires and wants. We don’t take time to love others and show them affection and care. We don’t love God with our whole heart and we don’t love our neighbor as ourselves.
But God has done something with our impure, unloving hearts. Our Lord Jesus laid down his life for you and me, pouring out his pure love upon the cross to reconcile us with God. And God pours out this pure love into our hearts in our Baptism in Jesus’ dying and rising, his life given to us. Daily he pours that pure love into us in his Word, changing our selfish, stony hearts into hearts broken and open to his love.
As we repent of our sins and call upon his name, Jesus not only grants us salvation, but we begin to reflect his love in our words and actions to others. Our hearts become more and more like a little child, full of laughter and joy and pure love. As his forgiveness washes through us, we begin to live with a good conscience and a sincere faith. As we experience his pure love, we love ever more purely.
Lord Jesus, make my heart to be like your heart, full of pure love. Thank you that you have loved me with your pure love. Amen.
- “Jesus, Savior, wash away, all that has been wrong today.
- Help me every day to be, pure and gentle, more like thee.”
Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church Colorado Springs, Colorado
