“And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Rom. 5:5, NET).
Familiar with this verse? Here’s something super cool about it. The phrase that I bolded, “the love of God” could be translated from the Greek as “God’s love for us”… OR as “our love for God.” In fact, instead of either/or, Holy Spirit very well may have intended both. What does this tell us?
That God pours His love for us into our hearts. And He also pours into our hearts love for Him. He Himself empowers us to love Him “through the Holy Spirit who was given us.” We don’t have to strain and strive trying to come up with love for God. As we continually yield to His work in our lives, He takes responsibility to cause that love to grow in our hearts for Him. We love because He first loved us.
This Scripture could actually be expressed this way: “The love that comes from God and that produces our love for God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (NET study note Rom. 5:5).
Isn’t that amazing?
Today, we need God to pour His love into our hearts. We also need Him to pour love for Him into our hearts. This is where hope is born. As we come to know and experience at a deep heart level His covenant devotion and affection for us, hope springs up within. As we come to know His love and love Him back deeper, and deeper, hope becomes part of who we are. This kind of hope never disappoints.
Let’s pause and take a moment, and ask Him to pour both kinds of love into our hearts in this very moment. Through His Spirit who He gave to us, He will!
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Have you ever prayed these words from Romans 5:5 over yourself?
Feeding On Jesus 
This is the verse the Holy Spirit gave Corrie ten Boom, when she told God she wanted to obey Him, but that she didn’t feel able to forgive the guard who had hurt her sister in the concentration camp. Through the Holy Spirit bringing that verse to remembrance, she suddenly realized God’s love inside of her would enable her to forgive that guard. As she took ahold of that Promise, forgiveness and love for that guard flooded her heart and she was able to speak her forgiveness out over him, as he stood before her, really meaning it, from the depths of her heart.
So good to be reminded of this: thank you!!! Oh may I continually honestly confess my inability, like Corrie did, and draw upon Christ’s ability for me through His living Word. May others not see me “trying” to love them, but Christ loving them through me.
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I remember when I first read that story, how absolutely amazing it was to me. I can’t wait to meet Corrie in heaven. And AMEN to that prayer!
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We can all use more love. Especially the pure, unconditional love of God.
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Aaaaamen, Barb. Father, pour more and more of Your love into our hearts!
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Beautiful. Amazing Love indeed. Thank you.
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Thank you too Faye!
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