2016: A Year of Learning to Walk in Love


And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Ephesians 5:2

 I believe that year 2016 is a year of learning to consistently walk in the love of God.  The Hebrew word for 16 is the compound word yod-vav, a word that signifies the hand (outworking) of the nail, which joins the hearts of two people as one. Sixteen is the number of love. It was because of the love of God that Jesus was nailed to the cross for the sin of the world. The cross manifested the love of God for all mankind. This truth is explicit in John 3:16. To walk in love necessitates a willingness to lay down one’s life. It requires living out the truth of Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. It is only through dying to self that one can possibly fulfill the sixteen characteristics of love that Paul listed in the great “Love Chapter” of 1 Cor. 13:4-8 namely (1)  Love is patient, (2) love is kind, (3) and is not jealous, (4) love does not brag, (5) and is not arrogant, (6) not act unbecomingly, (7) it does not seek its own, (8), is not provoked, (9), does not take into account a wrong suffered, (10)  does not rejoice in unrighteousness, (11) but rejoices with the truth, (12) bears all things, (13) believes all things, (14) hopes in all things, (15) endures all things and (16) love never fails. Another passage that comes to mind as I reflect on what the year 2016 is meant to be is John 14:15-16 where Jesus Himself issued this challenge; “If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.” While I must admit that walking in love on a daily basis is an intimidating goal, I take comfort in the promise that my Jesus promised to ask the Father for the Advocate the Holy Spirit to never leave me. In 2015 God taught me that rest comes not through inactivity but by faith. So just like I did in 2015, I welcome 2016 in faith that the Spirit of the Lord will be with me through each day of 2016 instructing me how to walk in step with my Father and in love. Have a blessed 2016!




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