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And she said with a smile on her face and a sweet chuckle, “Love covers!” We all laughed, recognizing the powerful truth of God’s Word in action! This sweet memory occurred on a hot summer day while driving one of Southern California’s infamous freeways, also known as the 91 Freeway Parking Lot. Our group was headed to Orange County for a ministry meeting when I began to experience my own personal summer! I pushed every button on the dashboard of my friend’s car trying to get cooler air blowing. But instead, I accidentally set off the emergency flashers while we were smack dab in the middle of heavy work traffic! “Yikes! I’m sorry!” Yes, love covers . . .

 

Six months earlier, when the Lord began to download this verse into my heart, I had no idea how far and wide the applications would flow. Not just for my own love covers opportunities—but for others to love cover me! It’s very humbling to be covered by so much love in so many ways!

 

Peter said, “Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8 NASB). If love can cover just one sin, a lot of sins, many sins, and even a multitude of sins, how much more can love cover over all of our misunderstandings, hurt feelings, perceived offenses, and simple mistakes?

 

Most of our daily frustrations have nothing to do with sin at all—we are just experiencing the effects of living with our flawed selves and other flawed people! So how do we practice this command? What does it look and feel like?

 

Paul tells us, “The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5 NASB). You see, that’s where the love comes from! We don’t create it or produce it at all. It is simply given to us. This is no ordinary love. It is the perfect, pure, and undefiled love of God, living in us. The Greek word for poured means “to gush out, to spill forth.” It’s easy to catch the vision that there is more than enough love to cover over anything we’re confronted with throughout each and every day!

 

So how do we put this love covers over into action?

  • Acknowledge it. Acknowledge the love is there. The very love of God is already there, ready to pour out, gush out, and spill out of your heart! Stand on the authority of God’s Word.
  • Pray it. When you pray for others say, “Lord, I love (insert name)” and then pray your petitions for that individual. When you pray this way—especially for someone who is difficult—you will begin to feel differently as you continue to pray. This may actually lead you to praying more effectively!
  • Speak it. Tell others that you love them, and tell them frequently! You can do this sincerely because you have the unlimited love of God in your heart. Just as a mother or father loves more than one child equally, God’s love enables you to genuinely love a multitude of people!

 

Comprehending the reality of this truth from God’s Word is amazing, but I have embraced this. While I am more often the recipient of a love covering moment, I want always to extend love covering moments to others too!

 

So the next time someone puts your nose out of joint, think again about the powerful truth of God’s Word. Simply say, “Love covers!”