March.05.04: Light for the Day - "Committed Love" -- 1 John 4:18 'There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear;  for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has  not reached perfection in love." --------------------- When I understand something of Christ's love for me as a sinner,  I respond with love for Christ -- and that love includes feeling  and emotions. But emotions come and go, and we must not allow them to mislead us.  God loves me, whether I "feel" it or not. Christians who gauge  their relationship with Christ only by their feelings seldom have  a stable spiritual life. What makes the difference? It can be summarized in one word:  Commitment. Feelings come and go, but commitment stays.  (The same should be true in a marriage.) We who have  committed our lives to Christ may feel joy, gratitude, love,  and so on. But even when we don't have those feelings,  our commitment keeps us true to Christ. This commitment not only keeps us faithful to Christ when we  don't feel like it; it also keeps away negative emotions such as  doubt and fear. John Witherspoon, the only cleric to sign  the Declaration of Independence, once said, "It is only  the fear of God that can deliver us from the fear of man." -- Billy Graham ------------------ -- Psalms 37:5  "Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him,  And He will help you." -- Psalms 33:18  "But the LORD watches over those who fear Him,  those who rely on His unfailing love. -- Proverbs 16:6  "Unfailing love and faithfulness cover sin;  evil is avoided by fear of the LORD." -- Psalms 25:10  "The LORD leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all those  who keep His covenant and obey His decrees." -- 2 Timothy 1:7  "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity,  but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."