LOVE MUST NOT BE ABOUT FEELINGS, BUT KNOWLEDGE AND DEPTH OF INSIGHT

SCRIPTURE:

“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.” (Philippians 1:9—11NIV)

OBSERVATION:

            Paul has a prayer for his brothers and sisters in Philippi.  His prayer was that the Philippian believers that their love may about more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.  We have use the word love so often very lightly and without a real depth of what it means. 

            People love beautiful music, beautiful sights, delicious food, and so forth.  Many times people do not think about why they love something.  Paul seems to encourage his brothers and sisters that their love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.

            Love is not just a feeling or an emotion that people feels about something.  Love is also about knowledge of why we love something.  If my love for something is based only on feelings without knowledge or depth of insight of something, than love led by feelings alone will shipwrecked my life as soon as the emotion of which I made my decision is gone. 

            Many people make an emotional decision to marry someone sole based on their emotions without really knowing the person they are about to commit themselves to.  Many buy expensive things based on emotions and regret their decisions when debt starts to mount. 

            Paul also make mention that love that is based on knowledge and depth of insight will help us be able to DISCERN  what is best, pure and blameless, in the day of Christ.  Our life as a believer must not be led about my emotions that changes from time to time when our feelings about something subsided.  Our life must be led with love that abounds and grow more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.

            The same goes for our relationship to Jesus, we are not just to be led with our emotional respond to the love of Christ, but must be rooted and be abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight about who Jesus.  We will discern more and more of what is pure and blameless and fill be filled with fruits of righteousness in Christ. 

APPLICATION:

            How often I allowed my emotions to dictate my decisions without knowledge, deep insight and discernment.  I need to grow more and more in love that is abound with knowledge, deep insight and discernment.  I want to be discern what is the best and pure, blameless and acceptable will of God. 

PRAYER:

            Jesus, please teach me how to be abound and grow more and more in my love for you that is based on knowledge and deep insight and not emotion.  I ask Lord that you open my heart to receive more and more of your heart daily.  Help me as I come to you daily that I will be open to receive your love and grow deeper and deeper in your knowledge, with deeper insight and discernment.  Amen!