There are four words that seem to be lingering in my mind as I near the launch of the race. They are words that embody the call that Christ has laid on my heart for not only this year, but also this life.
At first, I took it at face value and, honestly, forgot about it. But, not our Lord – He had not forgotten. He planted that seed with all intent of bringing it to full fruition. God has been bringing those words to my remembrance daily. I am learning that it is of greater weight than I can fathom.“Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:7)
There is then a conflict where our world meets the Word. I have found that it can only lie within the world’s definition of love. If our world’s expression of love is something anyone or everyone can experience than there must be something more to what John is describing here. There must be something different about the purest form of love that Christ calls us to live by. A love that calls us to love beyond our ability.
When we look at God or Love we see a definition that IS beyond our ability to live by. First Corinthians, chapter thirteen lays that out for us. In order to truly love another we are called to think of them before ourselves. We are asked to love in a way that we do not expect anything in return, to love selflessly. This love does not keep count of wrongs. True love always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres. 
It is also beyond works. You could have faith to move mountains, you could give all you possess to the poor, you could die for His sake, but it is not limited to sacrifice or action. It is beyond that.
In order to love in this way we must move outside of our self, we must step out of our own ability. We must love out of Christ.
1 John 4:16
Loving beyond our ability is to love out of the love of Christ. Equally as true, receiving God’s love is beyond our ability to comprehend. We see then that God’s love is beyond human ability. It is supernatural.When we move from loving out of the flesh and into loving them out of Christ, it allows others to experience the love of Christ, and to see God himself, who is Love.
It is the sum of the entire law: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Galatians 5:14)
And God longs to draw His people to himself.
