Vessels of Love

The phrase “vessels of love” came to my mind last week. I believe that God was speaking, telling me that as humans, our number one purpose is to receive God’s love, to be vessels of His love. I keep thinking about that phrase. We know that we are vessels, that God is living in us.

1Co_3:16  Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?

1Co_6:19  Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,
2Co_4:7  But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

The Holy Spirit lives in believers, and John says, “ God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” (1Jn 4:16) 

So, God is love. God lives within us. That makes us vessels of love. When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, he said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. (Mat_22:37) 

But, as John said, “We love because he first loved us.” (1Jn 4:19)

We cannot love God until we receive His love. Sometimes, we strive to love God more, but we cannot work it up. We cannot love God as an act of obedience on our own. We tend to want to work for God, do good things, earn his favor, but He is full of love, mercy, and grace. God is pouring His love out, and He wants us to receive it.

Joh_15:9  As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.

This was such a refreshing thought to me, because every single person can receive God’s love.

We humans see people as worthy based on their abilities. Where does that leave the person who is very limited in their abilities…a child born without the ability to walk or communicate; the elderly person with dementia who doesn’t even know her own children; someone who has suffered a head injury and no longer has brain function, but continues to live?
What purpose do these individuals serve?  Every one of them can be vessels of God’s love. Every person has that ability. That gives purpose to everyone.
   
Two weeks ago, if I had been asked, “What is the primary purpose of man?” I am not sure what I would have said. Maybe, to reflect God’s glory; or to bring the kingdom of God to the earth; just to do God’s will; to do the good works that God has already created for us to walk in; to take dominion of this earth as directed in Eden; to enjoy God and be satisfied in Him; or some other Biblical answer that would have been a pretty good answer.  Today, I want to say that the primary purpose of man is to receive God’s love, to abide in His love, to be vessels filled to the brim with His love.