LOVE As The Foundational Fruit Of The Spirit

 The warm gentleness and tender-hearted forgiveness in Paul's chapter on love in 1 Corinthians 13, identifies LOVE As The Foundational Fruit Of The Spirit from which all other gifts and graces grow. Love is also a gift of the Spirit because it is only as we abide in Him and He in us, that we can love as Christ loved, as we allow the love of Christ to flow through us to others. Here, in Peter's first epistle, we find another important teaching on love, which is condensed into one tiny verse by the big, Galilean fisher-of-men.
 Such love does not wink at sin, nor does it translate imperfections into destructive criticism, but is gracious toward the faults of others and patient with their defects. Such love applauds the good qualities they find in others while speaking the truth in love. They encourage others in their Christian walk. They forgive past offenses.
 By faith, we have received God's eternal forgiveness. His unconditional and unrestricted forgiveness. There is nothing that can separate us from His love, for past, present, and future sins have been washed in the sea of His amazing forgiveness, and His vast ocean of forgetfulness, and we are cleansed by the Blood of the Lamb. 
1 Peter 4:8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

Our United Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your unconditional and unrestricted forgiveness. Thank You that as far as the east is from the west, is the distance that our sins have been removed from us. Thank You for this truth, that love covers a multitude of sins. We pray that we would not misuse this verse and simply tolerate all sin, or wink at sin, but love as Christ loved us, loving and forgiving in grace and truth. We pray, that we may reflect Christlikeness in all our dealings with others, so that the glory goes to You. In Jesus' name we Pray, AMEN.