Love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  

Ephesians 6:23

I tend to skip over too much.  When reading my regular materials, I seem to hit the highlights and go on.  I realize that I should not treat the Scriptures like that.  So, I read again the next to last sentence in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.

Paul prayed that they might know the love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.   Both love and faith are spiritual gifts, given to us by the Lord as his children.  By nature, we control our loves and we trust only ourselves, to a large degree.  Paul reminds us that as new-born people, we have a new perspective, a new way of looking at life.  We depend on God to give us love and faith as precious spiritual gifts. It is our responsibility to apply this love and faith to all relationships.

I find that I am not in control of whom I should love nor how I should love, nor what I should place my faith in.  No, as the Spirit of the Lord is at work in me, I do what He wishes and which, as a person born from above, I agree is right and proper.

I find a depth of meaning here that I now find precious beyond thinking.  But, I must admit, it takes some praying and obeying.  By nature, I have no idea how to love or have faith like God does.  In the Spirit, I see that clearly.  May I take this lesson to heart, now and forever.