*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*
*WHEN LOVE IS LOST...*
*Scripture Treasure.*
2 Sam 13: 4,6,12,14.
*And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king's son, lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.*
*So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.*
*And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly.*
*Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.*
*Insight and Highlight.*
When love is lost, lust is found.
*Scripture Commentaries.*
Amnon said he loved Tamar. It was not love but lust.
It tells you that a person may say he loves you but may actually be lusting instead of loving.
What Amnon was saying tells us that people may say things that appear good to hear, whereas their hearts are saying something totally evil.
John's statement in 1 John 4:18 can be broken down as follows.
John says there is no fear in love when love is perfect. Perfect love means that love is in alignment with the fear of God.
When love is perfect, there is no fear.
You will not fear when you are with someone who truly loves you.
John further says that when we fear, love must be missing somewhere. For example, any time we fear in a relationship, love is questionable.
We can learn further in John's statement that while perfect love has no fear, while perfect love will not give fear a place, when it is absent, fear takes its place and when fear takes place instead of love, fear will bring torment along with it.
Lust is the opposite of love. Where there is no love, lust is present. The two are opposites and parallel lines that will never meet.
Tamar had no fear to go to Amnon as directed by David. There was nothing for her to fear. Her fraternal love was perfect.
Amnon, however, said he loved Tamar. His love was not perfect. It was a love for sibsex. Lust was in his heart.
His fear is best expressed in how he *...leaned from day to day...'*. He was losing weight because he was depressed over his compulsive sexual desire. Uncontrollable desires can cause several irregularities in our bodies.
Also, Amnon's heart was now opened to unleash and deliver torment to Tamar.
We must be careful.
We need to discern between love and lust. Love is patient. It suffers long,,1 Cor 13:4
While the language for love is patience, the language for lust is now.
This was why Amnon demanded to sleep with Tamar immediately. 2 Sam 13: 14 says he *'.....forced her, and lay with her.*
The behavior of Amnon could be well applied to Portiphar's wife's comment to Joseph when she said *'....Lie with me:...*, Gen 39:12.
Are you in love or in lust?
*Remorse corner*
Love and lusts know no bounds. If, however, you have perfect love, your love has set boundaries. This means you have self-control and lust can not have a place in your life.
*Call to Word action.*
1 John 4:18 *There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.*
*The Christian clarion duty.*
A child of God loves with set boundaries, 1 John 4: 7
Ask yourself if you are in love or if you are lusting after.
*Prayer*
Lord, let me love my spouse without fear. Let me love the brethren without fear, in Jesus name.
Good morning all and have a blessed day today.
God bless you.
Comentarios