LOVE GROWING COLD

Matt.24:12 – Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.

This last week we were all shocked by the atrocities we saw In Israel lived out in front of us. There were over a 1500 Israelis slaughtered in their homes and in the public streets by attacking members of Hamas that were filled with a savage hatred of the Jerwish people. There were large numbers of infants and children killed as well as one 100 year old holocaust survivor taken as a hostage. There were several hundred festival goers gunned down in the open air. The anger and savagery was shocking.
I guess the most disturbing thing about all of this is that we are no longer shocked by anything. In our on city of New Orleans there are almost daily shooting victims or car jacking events. Nationally schools are experiencing mass shootings and violence breaking out at athletic events has just become quite normal. In the last two years we have also seen cities being burned down and looters just coming through high end stores in large groups and just helping themselves to whatever they please.
The big problem with all of this violence and hatred that it tends to effect us all. Here is how Matthew Henry describes this in light of today’s verse.

“The decrease of love; this is the consequence of the previous change: Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. This may be understood to refer in general to true serious godliness, which is all summed up in love; it is too common for those who profess religious faith to grow cold in their profession when evildoers are hot in their wickedness. Or it may be understood to refer more particularly to the mutual love between believers. When evil increases, evil that deceives and persecutes, then this grace often grows cold. Christians begin to be shy and suspicious of one another, and so love comes to nothing. That there will be such a general decay of love gives a sad prospect of the times,”

Apparently Henry saw similar things in his world three hundred years ago, as much as things change apparently nothing really changes. We are dealing with fallen natures and people whose hearts are cold and apathetic toward the things of God. As Christians we must guard our hearts from all of the anger we see on a regular basis. How do we battle all of this? We must draw near to the fountain of His love. Our God is a fountain of love and as we drink from Him our cup will overflow with the love of God.