By Warren David Horak

Love Covers All Things

If there has ever been a time that we as believers need to learn how to love, it is now!

Love is light, and His love light needs to be shone starting now!

By this all will know we are His disciples… by the demonstration of our love for one another… (John 13:25) Love covers and does not seek to expose others' sins…

When we love with His love, we are called to cover and protect those in trouble, those who have fallen to the traps of the enemy.

The enemy tempts us to accuse; God has called us to cover them with love and pray for them. 

1 Peter 4:8: And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”

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Introduction

Today, we're delving into one of the most crucial facets of love: love covers all.

This aspect of God's love is truly remarkable, and it's a principle that we, as believers, need to grasp and apply in our daily lives.

In these times of increasing darkness, there's never been a more urgent need for us to learn how to love as God loves.

Let's explore this powerful facet of love and how it can transform our relationships and our walk with God.

The Light of Love in a Dark World

As we study the facets of love, we're trusting God to take this knowledge from our heads to our hearts, transforming us through revelation. In Isaiah, we see a prophetic word for the end times:

"Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you." (Isaiah 60:1-2 NKJV)

While darkness covers the earth, God's light arises on His people.

This light is the light of His love.

If we're not walking in the light of His love, we're not walking in the truth.

Love rejoices in the truth, and God's word is truth.

The Transformative Power of Love

By demonstrating God's love, we become a beacon for others to recognize Jesus:

"By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35 NKJV)

How can we effectively evangelize if we're not walking in love?

When God sees us walking in love, He opens people's eyes to see Jesus in us. 

But if people come among us and witness slander, backbiting, and hypocrisy, they'll dismiss us as frauds.

Love Covers and Protects

One of the most important facets of love is its ability to cover and protect.

Love covers and does not seek to expose others' sins.

When we love with God's love, we're called to cover and protect those who are falling into the enemy's traps.

This doesn't mean we condone their actions, but we're not supposed to broadcast everyone else's sins.

That job belongs to the accuser of the brethren.

The enemy tempts us to accuse, but God has called us to cover with love and pray for those who stumble.

When we see a brother or sister in sin, our first response should be to intercede, not to judge or expose.

"And above all things have fervent love for one another, for 'love will cover a multitude of sins.'" (1 Peter 4:8 NKJV)

This fiery love covers a multitude of sins.

When we have fervent love, we cover others with prayer, love, and compassion.

We don't gossip about their failings but seek to restore them in humility.

The Biblical Pattern of Covering

From the very beginning, we see God's nature to cover. In Genesis, when Adam and Eve sinned, they realized they were naked. Their first instinct was to cover themselves with leaves – their own works. But God provided a better covering:

"Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them." (Genesis 3:21 NKJV)

God covered them with animal skins, foreshadowing the ultimate covering – the blood of Jesus. This act of covering is a demonstration of God's love. He covers our sins, not to condone them, but to restore us to relationship with Him.

Restoration, Not Condemnation

When we see someone overtaken by sin, our role is to restore, not condemn:

"Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:1-2 NKJV)

We're called to restore our brothers and sisters in a spirit of gentleness, always mindful of our own vulnerabilities.

This is how we fulfill the law of Christ – the law of love.

The Danger of Self-Righteousness

We must be careful not to fall into the trap of self-righteousness:

"For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself." (Galatians 6:3 NKJV)

Without God's love, we are nothing.

Our own righteousness is like filthy rags, but God offers us His robe of righteousness. We must be willing to exchange our ashes for His beauty.

The Power of Covering in Relationships

Proverbs gives us insight into the power of covering in relationships:

"Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins." (Proverbs 10:12 NKJV)

When we stir up strife by exposing others' sins, we're operating in hatred.

But when we walk in love, we bring reconciliation and peace by covering sins.

This doesn't mean ignoring sin, but dealing with it in a spirit of love and restoration.

God's Pattern of Covering

Throughout Scripture, we see God's pattern of covering:

"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered." (Psalm 32:1 NKJV)

"You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people; You have covered all their sin." (Psalm 85:2 NKJV)

God's love is an act of covering sins. It's like treating a wound – we clean it, apply medicine, and then cover it to promote healing.

In the same way, we need to treat spiritual wounds with love, helping others to heal and recover.

Recovering What Was Lost

The concept of covering is closely tied to recovery.

God wants to help us recover everything the enemy has stolen from us.

As we walk in His love and help others recover, He ensures that we too are recovered.

Our protection – our health, finances, and provision – is part of what God wants to recover for us.

Jesus teaches about God's covering love in relation to our needs:

"So why do you worry about clothing?

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" (Matthew 6:28-30 NKJV)

God's covering extends to all areas of our lives – our physical needs, our spiritual protection, and our emotional well-being.

The Danger of Uncovering Others

We must be careful about uncovering others, lest we open ourselves up to the same treatment:

"Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you." (Matthew 7:1-2 NKJV)

Before we attempt to correct others, we need to examine ourselves:

"And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." (Matthew 7:3-5 NKJV)

The Power of Forgiveness

After His resurrection, Jesus gave His disciples an incredible authority:

"And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.'" (John 20:22-23 NKJV)

This speaks to the power of covering and forgiveness.

We have been given a ministry of reconciliation, to help restore people to right relationship with God.

By covering others in love and extending forgiveness, we can help bring healing and restoration.

The Facets of Love in Action

As we understand these facets of love – particularly love's ability to cover – we see how crucial it is in our walk with God and our relationships with others.

Love that covers is not about ignoring sin or sweeping issues under the rug.

Rather, it's about dealing with sin in a way that brings healing and restoration, not shame and condemnation.

When we truly grasp this facet of love, we become agents of reconciliation.

We learn to see others through God's eyes of compassion, even when they've fallen.

We resist the temptation to expose and instead cover with prayer, gentleness, and wisdom.

This covering love is what draws people back to God.

Many stay away from church and from God because they feel condemned, ashamed, and judged.

But when we extend God's covering love, we create a safe space for repentance and restoration.

Conclusion: 

The facets of love are many, but this aspect of covering is particularly powerful.

It reflects God's heart towards us – His desire to restore, not condemn. 

As we grow in understanding and applying this facet of love, we become more like Christ.

We become people who bring healing instead of hurt, who restore instead of reject.

Let's commit to walking in this covering love.

Let's be quick to pray and slow to expose. Let's be agents of reconciliation, showing the world the transformative power of God's love.

As we do, we'll see lives changed, relationships healed, and God's kingdom advanced.

This is the power of love that covers – one of the most beautiful facets of love that we can demonstrate to a hurting world.

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