Ephesians 5:2
“and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”
We are to walk in love, just as Christ did. He was the greatest revolutionary of all time. There were some great ones. Martin Luther King Jr. was the one in my lifetime. He would not act out in violence.
Jesus changed all. He started out by saying, "You have heard it said", and give an example of tradition. Then He would say, "but I say", and would give the new way. One example was in Matthew 5:21 & 22. He basically said, 'You have heard it said, "You shall not murder", But I say, "If you hate your brother in your heart, you have murdered him.'" That's revolutionary.
The change is that He goes from the external to the internal. State laws have outlawed murder, but Jesus says we can't let hateful thoughts abide in us. This is too much for us. That's why we need a savior. Peter said in Acts 15:10, "Now then, why do you test God by placing on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?"
The great news is that God gives us a new heart that wants to do His will (Ezekiel 36:26). He also wants to help us with things we are unable to do. "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light", (Matthew 11:29,30).
We will encounter situations that test us. We look up and ask for help and He gives it. That's how we walk in dependance on Him; that's how we love. It's an amazingly, full life. We are walking in congruence with God. We have been forgiven, which was the biggest problem, then He helps us to walk in love.
The byproduct of this is that He fills us with joy. It's far more than happiness. It's a deep contentment and a fullness with no guilt. We're free and completely accepted. Zephaniah 3:17 says, "The LORD your God is among you; He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing." Many of us have an average self concept. To have another feel this way about us is difficult to imagine. It's true, though.
Thank You, Lord for accepting us, forgiving us and empowering us to walk in love.