To Know You is to Love You

I must really need to learn something in Philippians 1:9 because each morning after my daily Bible reading, God leads me back to this verse.

So, I looked at it a little more this morning. And "voila!" I saw some more meat!

Philippians 1:9 NIV - "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, ...."

What did my little eyes see this morning?

I saw the depth of these prepositional phrases.

Paul was praying for the Philippians. He prayed that their love would abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight....

Basically, he prayed, the more you get to know people, may your love abound!

Well, I take that to go two ways.

1) The more I know my husband, the more I love him. He is my rock and he never ceases to amaze me in his intelligence and wisdom. So I have found myself 25 years later, head over heels in love with Rusty Blann. Every day I love him a little more.

2) There are some people that the more I know them, well..... ahmmmm, the less I LIKE them, let alone LOVE them! Good googelly woo! They have so many annoying habits my instinct is to run when I see them. (none of you, of course!) :) But Paul prays that our love will abound more and more in knowledge. Not just when the knowledge is good.

hmmmm.......

So, I take it whether the "knowing" is good or not so good that my love should abound more and more.

And it doesn't stop there!
Not only is our love to abound more and more in knowledge, but also in depth of insight.

Whew!!! What was Paul thinking?
Has he met some of the people I have?
ha!

No, but he was in prison and was persecuted a little bit more than I have been.

Ok.
So, depth of insight. What on earth does that mean?

My little word study from studylight.org shows me that this word means "perception, not only by the senses but by the intellect cognition, discernment; of moral discernment in ethical matters".

Allow me to give you the LAD version (life according to Dorinda):
This is what I pray for you and for me: that your love will grow and grow in all areas of your life and that the more you learn about God and His perfect love -the more you will love others. I pray your love for others will continue to grow as you get to know others. May your knowledge of others help you love them more and give you an insight into the needs and issues they have in their life.

Ok. Time to stop blogging and start praying - 'cause I've got some praying to do.

May you be blessed by His Word. I pray it is a seed in your heart that produces a hundred fold of Christlike qualities in your life!

blessings!
dorinda