Gift of Love
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
1 John 4:7 NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION
I like to think that I do things with no one’s help. As an example, I became a follower of Jesus, and I have always figured I did that on my own. I remember hearing an old saying: If you take one step toward God, He will take one step toward you. But by the time you take the next step, you will realize that it was God who made the first. In other words, God was in hot pursuit of us way before we started pursuing Him. Our relationship with God is His gift to us.
Well, this verse speaks of another Godly gift, the ability to love. If you ask me, I think love is a rare and somewhat abnormal thing. If it was common to mankind, I imagine love would erase the majority of wars, murders and negative evening news. If love was common to us all, it would not need to come from God, or for that matter, work as an ID card so others know we belong to Him. When we act in God styled love, I don’t think it is a natural thing, I think it is a supernatural phenomenon.
I’ll be honest, I don’t really know how to use this love stuff, but I get the feeling that God will direct me on how to express His style of love. I think His love is what allows a victim to share Jesus with their attacker.
I think God helps us when we express His style of love for the loveless, the unlovely and unlovable. I think this gift from God is what enables us to forgive those that hurt us. And I think this type of supernatural love is what helps others see that God must be real.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
Command to Love
Command to Love
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.“
John 13:34 NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION
I used to think that Paul was hard to comprehend. He ain’t got anything on Jesus! Jesus’ words seem so simple at first. If He were on earth in our time we might think Him a burned-out hippie; always speaking of love and to just love each other. That seems simple enough. Though I think most people pick easy love situations. We express love for a spouse or family and friends. Now-a-days, the love word is so overused that people love their house or love their jobs or love someone’s new hair-do. We love everything. And oftentimes people love animals and things more than other people.
But Jesus’ teaching takes on a whole new meaning in this same verse. Jesus lays out an example, which throws a monkey wrench into the whole love experience. He says that we need to follow His example, and then love each other in the same way He loves us.
Okay, I don’t know about you, but there are some hard people to love out there. And some of those hard to love people may sit next to you at work, at church or even sit at the same dinner table. Jesus’ love enabled Him to call a group of deserter types His friends. Jesus’ type of love led to a cross, for there is no greater love than that a man would lay down his life for a friend.
I do not think Jesus is looking for us to die on a cross or in front of a firing squad to show love. But He is expecting us to die to ourselves a bit so that we can lavish love and commitment on God and each other. Besides, this type of love we lavish on each other is how the rest of the world can tell that we belong to Christ (John 13:35).
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.“
John 13:34 NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION
I used to think that Paul was hard to comprehend. He ain’t got anything on Jesus! Jesus’ words seem so simple at first. If He were on earth in our time we might think Him a burned-out hippie; always speaking of love and to just love each other. That seems simple enough. Though I think most people pick easy love situations. We express love for a spouse or family and friends. Now-a-days, the love word is so overused that people love their house or love their jobs or love someone’s new hair-do. We love everything. And oftentimes people love animals and things more than other people.
But Jesus’ teaching takes on a whole new meaning in this same verse. Jesus lays out an example, which throws a monkey wrench into the whole love experience. He says that we need to follow His example, and then love each other in the same way He loves us.
Okay, I don’t know about you, but there are some hard people to love out there. And some of those hard to love people may sit next to you at work, at church or even sit at the same dinner table. Jesus’ love enabled Him to call a group of deserter types His friends. Jesus’ type of love led to a cross, for there is no greater love than that a man would lay down his life for a friend.
I do not think Jesus is looking for us to die on a cross or in front of a firing squad to show love. But He is expecting us to die to ourselves a bit so that we can lavish love and commitment on God and each other. Besides, this type of love we lavish on each other is how the rest of the world can tell that we belong to Christ (John 13:35).
Friday, January 14, 2011
Definition of Love
Definition of Love
And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.
2 John 1:6 NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION
I got it wrong again. I have had to adjust to things working in the other direction. I sort of have a dyslexic way of processing things. I sometimes write the letter B backwards or write a D when thinking of a B. Well, this dyslexic interpretation of things seems to have traveled to the way I live the faith. My mind makes me think that keeping the law is love.
I like keeping the protocol and rules. I like following each step, one at a time. I like the idea of checking each one off of my list and feeling a sense of accomplishment. I like to feel right with God because I keep the rules. And that is my dyslexic heart at work. I know I am living in reverse when I place protocol in front of someone’s need. I know I need adjustment when I refuse to forgive or when I forsake kindness for absolution. And after all of this, I suddenly see my spiritual bankruptcy, my inability to keep God’s laws. You may be able to do it, but I am seeing that I do not have what it takes to keep God’s commands.
The fact is that the only way to keep God’s commands successfully is to follow Jesus’ condensed form of the Big Ten: to Love God fully and love your neighbor. As Paul says, love really is the greatest command!
And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.
2 John 1:6 NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION
I got it wrong again. I have had to adjust to things working in the other direction. I sort of have a dyslexic way of processing things. I sometimes write the letter B backwards or write a D when thinking of a B. Well, this dyslexic interpretation of things seems to have traveled to the way I live the faith. My mind makes me think that keeping the law is love.
I like keeping the protocol and rules. I like following each step, one at a time. I like the idea of checking each one off of my list and feeling a sense of accomplishment. I like to feel right with God because I keep the rules. And that is my dyslexic heart at work. I know I am living in reverse when I place protocol in front of someone’s need. I know I need adjustment when I refuse to forgive or when I forsake kindness for absolution. And after all of this, I suddenly see my spiritual bankruptcy, my inability to keep God’s laws. You may be able to do it, but I am seeing that I do not have what it takes to keep God’s commands.
The fact is that the only way to keep God’s commands successfully is to follow Jesus’ condensed form of the Big Ten: to Love God fully and love your neighbor. As Paul says, love really is the greatest command!
Friday, January 7, 2011
Unending Love
Unending Love
The trumpeters and singers performed together in unison to praise and give thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, they raised their voices and praised the Lord with these words:
“He is good!
His faithful love endures forever!”
At that moment a thick cloud filled the Temple of the Lord.
2 Chronicles 5:13 NEW LIVING TRANSLATION
I’d like to think I know what love is. I would like to think we can see love in the eyes of a new dad, or the way a mother holds her child, or in the way newlyweds dance on their wedding day, and even in the embrace of friends. But I fear these are pale comparisons to God’s love because the aforementioned can change in a moment. A father may not be there for his newborn. A mother may not want the child she bore and some marriages, like friendships, drift apart. But this love God has, according to the scripture, it endures forever. Why does His love continue when ours comes to an end?
I consider myself a novice at such a complicated thing as love. But one item I have noticed about God Styled love is its commitment. The mushy feelings can come and go. For us humans, most of us have maximum tolerance for disappointment, failure and denial before love fails or simply moves on to some new fixation.
But God’s love for us never hinges upon our performance or intellect or talent or even our commitment. His loves hinges upon who He is, not who we are or what we do. God’s love for us is a testament to His integrity, His commitment and to His highest priority, which happens to be us! And His commitment never changes, it endures forever.
The trumpeters and singers performed together in unison to praise and give thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, they raised their voices and praised the Lord with these words:
“He is good!
His faithful love endures forever!”
At that moment a thick cloud filled the Temple of the Lord.
2 Chronicles 5:13 NEW LIVING TRANSLATION
I’d like to think I know what love is. I would like to think we can see love in the eyes of a new dad, or the way a mother holds her child, or in the way newlyweds dance on their wedding day, and even in the embrace of friends. But I fear these are pale comparisons to God’s love because the aforementioned can change in a moment. A father may not be there for his newborn. A mother may not want the child she bore and some marriages, like friendships, drift apart. But this love God has, according to the scripture, it endures forever. Why does His love continue when ours comes to an end?
I consider myself a novice at such a complicated thing as love. But one item I have noticed about God Styled love is its commitment. The mushy feelings can come and go. For us humans, most of us have maximum tolerance for disappointment, failure and denial before love fails or simply moves on to some new fixation.
But God’s love for us never hinges upon our performance or intellect or talent or even our commitment. His loves hinges upon who He is, not who we are or what we do. God’s love for us is a testament to His integrity, His commitment and to His highest priority, which happens to be us! And His commitment never changes, it endures forever.
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