“Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you. And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: to the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.” 1st Thessalonians 3:11-13

Our ability to increase in love toward others is our responsibility but the root power that makes this possible is love of God in us that never ceases. We may, at times, cease to follow the direction of the Spirit, but that doesn’t mean that God has stopped motivating us by His grace.

These verses remind us that God will ultimately present us to Himself in holiness. We will not be holy because of any work of our own. God will fundamentally change us and make us holy and fit to be in His presence.

Here in time, we should remember that this is God’s end design for us. God has already begun a marvelous work in us in the new birth. Part of that birth was into a newness of life and love. Right now, the Spirit of God is working in us to love. Let us follow the Spirit and begin living in holiness now!