Loving Knee-Deep

1 Peter 4:8
"Above all, love each other deeply,
because love covers over a multitude of sins."

You know, I've read this passage a gazillion times, but the last few times it has come to my attention, the word "deeply" has popped out like a goblin in the night. It could just say, "Above all, love each other, because love covers...." But there's that word: deeply.

I must confess, now that I've discovered this, it has changed my perspective on the word "love." I can't believe how many times a day I shower shallow love in my conversations (not that it's wrong, just that I notice it now).

"Oh, no worries...you know I luv ya, chica."
"I love, Love, LOVE your hair like that."
"Email ya more later. Love, LaLee."

And I mean those words. I do. In my knee-deep sort of way. God has shown me that the only way I can love deeply like he tells me to is if He loves through me.

This is the way God loves:

"I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,

may have power, together with all the saints,

to grasp how wide and long and high and deep 

is the love of Christ,

and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-

that you may be filled to the measure 

of all the fullness of God."

Ephesians 3:17b-19

When He loves through me by the power of the Holy Spirit, it knows no bounds. It is unconditional. It fills others up. When I love knee-deeply by the power of my own knowledge, well...it's difficult to love the unloveable. I want it to be comfortable and easy.

Anyway, I'm thankful for His continued reminders to me that I can be "rooted and established in love"--the fully under-water kind--and that I have His powerful love to tap in to, if I am willing and get myself out of the way.

Thank you, Lord, for loving me so deeply. And may I love like you today, Father. In Jesus' name, Amen.