Allow God's love to flow

Have you ever been snorkelling? I love it. I haven’t done it much but the opportunity it presents to look at sea creatures and marine life that is normally hidden from view is absolutely amazing. At times I’ve got so wrapped up and engulfed in the underwater world that I’ve taken a deep breath, not realising that my snorkel was now under water with me, and needless to say, I don’t have gills.

But a snorkel has 2 functions; obviously it allows you to breathe air in but it also allows you to breathe air out, and it all happens through the same plastic tube.

In Matthew 6:14-15 (NKJV) it says:

¹⁴ “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Now this verse instantly has that kind of transaction feel..... If you do this, God will do this, if you don't, then God won’t. But perhaps it's less of a transaction and more of a statement about the reality of God.

Imagine for a moment that you were snorkelling but the tube was unable to perform its 2 functions, air in & air out.... what would happen?

In this scripture, instead of it being about a transaction, is Jesus saying that the love of God that flows to you is actually flowing through the same tube that the love of God flows through you to others. And if the snorkel becomes blocked, if you refuse to forgive others then you have shut off the tube and are unable to receive love from God.

So often I’ve tried to split them; God I love you so much, forgive my sin. Give me your love. But as for that person, they really offended me. Did you see what they did to me, I got shafted. There's no way I can give them love.

If that is our attitude than perhaps we’ve shut the tube and are inhibiting the flow of God’s love to us. It’s not us and them…… and us and God.

It's us and them and God.

Is there anyone you need to forgive? Wife, husband, parent, child, old friend, work colleague, neighbour.

Take a moment right now & allow forgiveness to flow, allow the love of God to flow out of you.

Sometimes it may appear too hard, ask the Holy Spirit to help you, I know He will.

Gary Evenden