August 15 - Love Abounding in Knowledge

August 15 - Love Abounding in Knowledge
Philippians 1:9-11

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God.

I can’t imagine having Paul pray for me or for my church.  The things he prays for are simply wonderful.  Paul prays for love.  Unconditionally.  This time it isn’t that he prays that they will love God or each other or himself, as he does in other letters.  He wants the Philippians to simply love. He prays that their love abounds … or overflows.

Can you imagine a community where love overflows? Sure, there are little pockets of communities where this happens and it is a glorious thing. But, at some point, that love is halted. It’s like a dam is set into place so that love doesn’t overflow.  I know a church that does incredible things when they come together, but they only come together on Sundays – sometimes Saturdays.  Every time, though … their love overflows.  What would happen if that love overflowed on Mondays, then into Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays?  But, people get back into their busy lives, worrying about getting kids to school or a business meeting that is going to stink or cars that need to be fixed or nearly anything else and the overflowing and outpouring love gets dammed up.

Paul prays for love that continually overflows.

There is one caveat he puts on this overflowing love, though. He prays that as it leaps out of the church, people grow in knowledge and depth of insight, so that they might discern what is best. Paul never prays for us to love stupidly, though sometimes I think we might be too analytical in whom and how we love.  He wants us to be safe and to make good decisions.

Love that overflows into our kids’ lives, into the lives of our friends, our work, our weekly appointments.  Love that is unconditional.  Love overflowing. Imagine how that would change the world!