Yesterday, I learnt about having a word for the year from some blog posts I read and decided to give it a try. As I prayed about it this morning, I felt a confirmation in my spirit that I should get on board the word train. You see, I am not a blind follower of anyone or anything, no matter how well promoted they are. I need to be certain that what I’m doing is what I should be doing now and not simply what everyone else is doing.

And before I could pray much, the word “love” was given to me. I am to love my husband, my “children”, my siblings, my in-laws, my extended family, my friends, my students, my brethren, my work colleagues, in fact, anyone that I have dealings with, more. I hesitated. My feeling was, “I’ve never done this before and I get to start with the big one.” I’d thought the word would be “completion” or “accomplishment” ’cause I have so much unfinished business that I am yet to address, my Ph.D on the top of that list.

But the Lord said He wants to teach me to love as He loves the church. That’s fantastic! But truth be told, it’s also scary. Even if as a believer, I’m not totally selfish, yet I see myself holding back from doing all that I can for people at certain times, that is, doing so much and no more. I rationalise what I do, hoping I’m not misunderstood, taken advantage of or despised. A few times, I’m more concerned about taking care of number one. Clearly, that is not how Christ loved the church as explained in Ephesians 5:25-27.

“25. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26. That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27. That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

What makes this so challenging is that we’re not talking about my immediate family and close friends alone. One does not need much convincing to love one’s spouse, children, parents and best friends sacrificially. But anyone you have dealings with? That does not sound wise or practicable. Yet, I think if the love were so selective, it would fall far short of the love of Christ as seen in Romans 5:8.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (NIV)

There’s no way I’m going to be able to do this kind of thing without surplus grace.

Then I remember some scriptures I shared on Twitter lately.

@edithsmusings Dec. 21, 2016
Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8 (NKJV)

@edithsmusings Dec. 21, 2016
If you fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Love your neighbour as yourself, you do well. – James 2:8

@EdithOhaja1 Jan. 2, 2017
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant – 1 Corinthians 13:4 (ESV).

@EdithOhaja1 Jan. 2, 2017
Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. – Romans 13:10 (ESV)

Could God have been speaking to me to prepare my heart for this journey? Probably. (I know that whatever I post is as much for me as for anybody else.) And that gives me some thrills approximating lightheadedness (the positive kind).

I also recall the commanment the Lord Jesus gave in John 13:34. That should be the handiest as I have a little song about it I learnt many years ago that extends to the next verse.

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” 

I’m under no illusions that this is going to be easy but armed with the word and all the foregoing scriptures to back it up, I’m excited to launch into the deep at the Saviour’s command.*

Now, I’m just going to print the graphic for this post, maybe as big as a poster to serve as a reminder. I’ll have several copies: one each for my office, living room and bedroom. I’ll add my name on top so that it reads, “U-Gee,* Love Like Christ.”

I promise to do my best in this regard by God’s grace. So help me God!

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The scriptures used in this post are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible except where otherwise stated.
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I enclosed “children” in inverted commas ’cause I have no biological children but have young people that I have a mother-child relationship with.
“To launch into the deep at the Saviour’s command” refers to Peter’s experience as recorded in Luke 5:1-7.
U-Gee, pronounced as the letters UG, is the way some friends shorten my native name, Ugochi.
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Have you ever done the word for the year stuff? If yes, care to share your word for last year and how it worked for you or your word for the present year?

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