1 John 4:7: Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God & knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Anytime I read anything on love, it reminds me of the time in my life I worked as a volunteer for the Chaplain at the V.A. hospital in Dallas, Texas. I was assigned the critical floors where people needed to hear God loves them even if they did not understand the whys of life. One patient I would see whenever I was scheduled to work was dying of cancer. He was skin & bones, he would be lying on his stomach & when he saw me, he would lift his boney body with arms that had very little flesh on them, & say “nobody loves me”. I would answer “that is not so Jesus loves you”. He had a son but evidently they had a fall out – I don’t think the son ever came to see him. I managed to get his son’s phone number & address from his records & called – no answer. I wrote him & pleaded with him to come see his father. I don’t think he did. I was with him when he died & heard him utter those painful words “nobody loves me” – I would reply “you ARE loved, Jesus loves you”. Love, Agapae love, implies to love with selfless & unconditional love & Phileo love implies to love with human love. When Jesus asked Peter do you love me more than theses, he was searching for Agapae love, Peter could only answer with Phileo love. (John 21:15-17). The third time Jesus accepted the apostle’s recognized & imperfection & graciously charged Peter to care for his flock. Perhaps at long last Peter had learned that he cannot follow Jesus in his own strength but needed to rely more on the power & enablement of Jesus. I know in my humble case, I prayed “not my words but yours Jesus” when I entered the doors of the VA hospital in Dallas Texas & headed for floors 4 & 5, the critical units.
Just a thought by coppi
Just a thought by coppi 
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