So what's the big deal about love? Part 2

Here is the link to first part.

After I finished that post I kept on thinking of more examples of God's love throughout the Bible, but that will have to wait for another time.  This time I want to look at how the love that we have been shown transforms us.

Romans 5:7-9 ⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.⁸ But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.⁹ Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

The greatest expression of God's love toward us was Christ's death.  God's righteousness, holiness, and justice required a punishment for sin.  That punishment was death, an eternity separated from God, it was a heavy price, it was a price that we in our limited capacity as humans had no way to pay.  We had no hope of ever being able to escape the punishment or to pay the price; it was hopeless. But God is his love offered to us his Son.  His Son, Christ on the cross received the punishment that each of us deserved.  God's righteousness, holiness, and justice were satisfied, the price for sin that no human could pay was paid by Christ.   There is no way in this world that I would ever think to offer my son up  for the payment of someone else's debt, but that is what God did for us.  We often forget the significance of that love; do we even have a grasp of what that love is?  The big deal about love is that without love we would still be dead in our sin.  Without love we would be destined for eternal separation from God.  That love is the very foundation of our faith, without the love of God there would be no hope.  

Three separate times in the last lesson that Jesus taught to his disciples before his death he instructed his disciples to love one another.  

Jn 13:34-35

³⁴ A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. ³⁵ By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Jn 15:12-14

¹² This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Jn 15:17-18
¹⁷ These things I command you, that ye love one another. ¹⁸ If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

In the prayer that Christ prayed before he went out into the garden he even prayed that his disciples would have the love that his Father had toward him would be in his disciples.  It was how he finished his prayer.


Jn 17:24-26
²⁴ Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
²⁵ O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. ²⁶ And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

In the life of a Christian love is one of the most important attributes that should be exhibited.  Christ said that the two great commandments were to love the Lord and to love your neighbor.  He said that on these two commandments hung all the law and the prophets.  If you love your neighbor then you will be kind, you will treat others correctly.  You won't lie, steal, or cheat etc. if you are loving your neighbor.  The importance of love is that without love you will ever be able to be a Christ-like Christian, because love is integral to his character.

Up next will be a look at I Corinthians 13.

So what's the big deal about love? Part 1

Sometimes it is amazing to see how the Lord uses many people to help teach us lessons.  In the past week I have had two separate conversations with people about love, and then I heard a message on the topic.  It is the topic that I have been pondering for a while.  So what is the big deal about love?

So often as Christians we focus on God's justice, holiness, and righteousness.  We acknowledge that God is love, but it is never the focus.  We consider it good enough for the kids in preschool (one of the first verses they learn is "God is love"),  but that basically as far as it goes.  We mention it when we talk about Christ's birth and death, and we gloss it over when we talk about how we should live our Christian life.  Focusing on God's love doesn't mean that we ignore justice, holiness and righteousness or any other attribute of God it just means we are taking some time to mediate on the concept.

So where to we see God's love?   It starts on Genesis with Adam and Eve.  God could have allowed Adam and Eve to die immediately because his justice, holiness, and righteousness required it.  His love not only gave them a lighter judgement, but gave them the promise of a Messiah.

Think of Cain.  He murdered his brother, he deserved whatever punishment God gave him.  God's justice, holiness and righteousness required punishment, but His love meant he listened to Cain's complaint of the punishment being too hard and extended mercy to him.

Even Noah.  God's justice, holiness and righteousness required that the whole world should be destroyed, but his love saved Noah and his family.  His love extended the promise that He would never destroy the earth again with a flood. 

With Moses.  God's justice, holiness and righteousness required that Moses do what God commanded him.  His love gave Moses someone to help, Aaron.

With the children of Israel.  How many times do we find that God's justice, holiness and righteousness required the death of the people?  But how many times do we find His love preventing their destruction? In the wilderness with fiery serpents, we find his justice sending the snakes, but his love providing salvation from the death the serpents brought.

With David.  David sinned in numbering the people.  God's justice gave a consequence, his love stopped the consequence.  

With the city of Nineveh.  God's justice and righteousness demanded that the city be destroyed.  His love and mercy sent Jonah with a call to repentance.

With the woman caught in adultery.  She deserved death that was what the law required, it was what God's justice and holiness required.  Christ offered her only love and forgiveness.

With the disciples.  It was love that Christ offered them in the face of their betrayal and abandonment. 

With the children.  While the disciples offered the children only distain, Christ offered them love calling the little children to him, and chiding those that would prevent them.

With the Jews that rejected him.  His justice brought condemnation and a prophecy of destruction.  His love led to Christ weeping as he looked at the city.

With the human race.  God's justice, holiness, and righteousness required that the price must be paid for sin.  His love offered his only son to pay that price.

A focus on His love does not deny or minimize any of His other character traits.   If we study with out pre-conceived notions of what we think the Bible says, we might find something that we missed.

There is a lot more to ponder on this topic, hence the part 1.  More will be coming soon.

Part 2

A Look in the Mirror

One of the most difficult things to do as a Christian is to honestly look at ourselves in the mirror of God's Word.  It is so easy to read passages that are condemning a group of people for their sins and self-righteously pass over it thinking that we are nothing like that group of people.  The passage I have been mediating on lately is one such passage.

Matthew 23 is Christ's warning to the people about the duplicity of the scribes and Pharisees, and a harsh condemnation of their behavior.  This passage is often looked at with the viewpoint that those scribes and Pharisees were really terrible people and we are nothing like them.  But is that really the truth?

Matt 23:3-11 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

At first glance, the horror! How could the Pharisees and scribes do such horrible things?  They say one thing and then do the opposite, they want everyone to see all the good things they do, they place heavy burdens on others.  Our righteous indignation starts to simmer.  Then the tough part-let's look at ourselves.  How often do we disciple new Christians by giving them a list of rules:  read your Bible, pray, come to church every time the doors are open, tithe, give to missions, don't listen to that, don't watch that, don't go there, don't wear that, only wear this, go out soul winning.  Before long we have heaped a heavy burden onto a new Christian.  When we disciple teens they get the same list plus the added pressure of: make sure your are in the center of God's will, don't date, don't play video games, don't have facebook, don't go to the movies, have the right friends.  Even the adults: are you reading the Bible enough?, are you praying enough?, are you knocking on doors enough?, are you tithing enough?, are you confessing all your sin enough?, are you going to the altar enough? are you memorizing the Bible enough?.   Did we miss the part,  "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest, take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest for your soul for my yoke is easy and my burden is light"?  

We are so busy binding heavy burdens onto ourselves and others that we have become just like the Pharisees.  We don't even consider the rest the Christ offered us.

 We are all guilty of hoping that thing we did will be seen and praised.  That special we sang in church, the work we did to clean up after a meal, the meal we took to others, the Sunday School class we have taught, the bus ride we have taken, the people we have ministered to, all those things and more we want the praise.  We may do them so spiritually, but we secretly hope someone will notice.  If no one notices we try to casually work it into a conversation so we get at least a little bit of praise.  We revel in the praise when someone calls us out publicly for the good we have done, or we make it a "praise" during a time of public praise.  Are we not just like the Pharisees?

Matt 23:23-28 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Maybe this doesn't apply; We don't tithe spices, surely this isn't talking about us.  Look back in the mirror. How often are we so worried about how the teens are dressed, how the adults are dressing, if the women are wearing the right clothing, if the music is exactly the right style.  We worry so much about these issues, but what about judgment?  What about mercy?  What about faith?  What about love? What is most important to us?

Is it that the teen sitting beside us is wearing a top that is a little too tight or is it the thought are we showing Christ's love as we address her?  Have we stopped to consider her situation?  Have we stopped to actually talk to her instead of talk at her.  Do we listen as she tells about the difficulties she is having at home, or are we too busy thinking of all the right verse to use to tell her how she is not dressing appropriately?   When that family comes in that smells strongly of smoke do we quickly judge them and find them wanting; or do we sit beside them and learn about them and the struggles they are having?  We look good, we dress right, we say all the right things, but inside we are full of condemnation and judgment.  Even with other Christians, we overhear about an activity that they are doing during the Sunday night service instead of coming to church.  We smugly think to ourselves...at least my family will be in church.  

So now what?  The picture in the mirror is not looking to good. Do we ignore it?  That won't do much good.  We walk away the same way we came.  What can we do?  Pray more...that will do it.  No, maybe reading our Bible more....if we read for 1 hr every morning surely that will do it.  It might help.  Beating ourselves up about it....that might work.

Christians, let's take our eyes off ourselves and look to our Savior.  The only one that can save us from our wretchedness is not ourselves.  No amount of work or works that we do can ever change us.  The change can only come through Christ and Him alone.  Instead of teaching a list of rules and regulations that must be kept in order to be a good Christian, let's teach His love.  Take the focus off works and put it back on Christ.  Ponder his love, we who were dead in our trespasses and sin yet he saw fit to love us.  He gave up everything to demonstrate his love to us.  He loved the unlovable; he loved the diseased; he loved the dirty; he loved the children; he loved the doubters.  As unlovely as we are, as hypocritical as we are, as sinful as we are-He loved US.  That love transforms us, that love cleanses us, that love redeemed us, that love sanctifies us, that love frees us, that love never leaves us, that love saved us, that love compels us to live for him, that love strengthens us as we walk in Him.

The solution for the image in the mirror is Christ, always has been and always will be.  It's not any easy thing to look in the mirror, it's not any easy thing to admit that we are hypocritical, but it has never been difficult for Christ to love us!

Romans 5: 6-9 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Forgiveness

John 8:2-11 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.  And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.  Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?  This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.  So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them,He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.  And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?  She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. 

Several weeks ago the kids and I were discussing this story, and some of the things we discussed I have been meditating on.   As we were talking about how Jesus told the people that the person that is without sin should throw the first stone, one of the kids pointed out that Jesus could have cast the first stone.  I don't think I have ever thought about it in that perspective, but it is absolutely true.  Christ was without sin-meaning by his own declaration he had every right to cast the first stone, but he did not!   Instead of condemnation, he offered this woman forgiveness.   Instead of righteous indignation, he offered unconditional love.

As Christians, often we are the first in line to cast the first stone, not at others but at ourself.  We sin, mentally berate ourselves for that sin, then finally beg and plead for Christ's forgiveness hoping to escape his condemnation.   But, we have missed the point.   Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.    Christ does not offer us condemnation, he only offers his love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness.

Unfortunately, we accept the forgiveness for salvation, but then reject the forgiveness for the Christian walk.   In our Christian life we are so worried about keeping all the rules, doing the right things, reading our Bible enough, praying enough and witnessing enough.  If we fail, we condemn ourselves, beg for forgiveness, and resolve to try harder.   We fail to realize that we cannot do anything to lose the forgiveness that has been unconditionally offered.

Let us walk in the assurance that Christ has unconditionally forgiven us, that he will never retract that forgiveness, and let us allow that forgiveness transform our lives.

Run

I enjoy running and I was recently asked my thoughts on running on a treadmill vs. running outside.  There are benefits to both.  When I run on a treadmill, I am constantly moving but making no visible progress yet I can run at a faster, more consistent pace, while running outside is much more freeing and enjoyable to me.  I was contemplating that thought this morning during my run and thought of the comparisons to our Christian life.

So often we hear about the Christian race and we determine on our own to run the race to the best of our ability.  We quickly memorize a checklist of things we need to do to run a successful race and begin implementing it in our unfulfilled life.  When considering those things, we realize that the list is long: read and memorize your Bible, go to church every time the doors are open, hand out Gospel tracts, go knock on doors, help in the bus ministry, teach Sunday school, give your tithe generally, ensure that you don't sin. We find ourselves running on a treadmill, constantly running, but never going anywhere.

If we take the idea further we can envision Christ standing by our side handing us the new running clothes of His righteousness, but we lay it carefully to the side.  Often we are afraid of soiling it as we run, so we trade the new clothing for our own stain covered righteousness  On the screen of our treadmill we see the list of do's and don'ts and the pace we are forced to run.  We try adjusting speed but end up running ourselves ragged because we just don't measure up. The running of this race is overwhelming, disheartening and exhausting.

Through a large picture window we are confused as we see other Christians running their races, because it seems like they are enjoying the race. We wonder, "What am I doing wrong?"  Anxiously we check our list on our treadmill, then run to Christ confessing all the sins that we can think of that have been committed, and vow to run better on our treadmill. He sadly smiles beckoning, "My child, I love you just as you are. Come run with me." 

Blinded by our need to do better, we increase the pace on our treadmill.  We beginning to check off the list on our treadmill.   We ensure we have followed the checklist regarding our dress, then our music, then what we read, then what we watch, then our friends.   As the list becomes longer we become more and more proud.  As we run, we begin to look down on those who have not completed as much on their list. We are filled with pride in our success in following the list when we see those running outside with complete freedom. But still, the race is overwhelming, still something is not right, we look at ourselves in the mirror and still the hopelessness-we can't seem to get it right.

Suddenly we trip and fall to the ground.  Immediately, our Savior is there gently picking us up and once again pleading, "Come unto me, put on my righteousness and run with me."

Confused we dust ourselves off as we wearily climbing back on the treadmill.  "If I just read my Bible more, memorize more, pray more, give more-then I will be worthy."

He replies, "Come child, I love you, let me teach you to run."

Stubbornly we grab the handles of the treadmill, "I know how to run. I need to be worthy, I have to do more, if I just determine to do more I can do it."

As a loving Father, He watches our feeble attempts to run the race. He holds in his nail-pierced hands the freely-offered garments of His righteousness.

Finally, exhausted we step off the treadmill. Our Savior hands us His righteousness asking, "Are you ready now?"

Our reply, "No, but I can't do what I am doing any more."

With a smile He replies, "My grace is sufficient, my strength is made perfect in your weakness.  Now put on my righteousness."

As we trade the old for the new, we revel in the feel of it, we wonder why did we wait so long to put it on?  We spot our reflect in the mirror, we are hardly recognizable.

He takes our hand, "Come run with me."  Tentatively we step out temporarily blinded by the beauty of it all.  Again he beckons, "Come run with me."

Fearfully we take a step back, "But Lord, what if I soil your garments with sin?"


"My child, my righteousness cannot be soiled."


"But Lord, what if I don't take the right path."


His tender reply, "My child, I will direct your path."


"But Lord, what if...."


"My child, come, I will never leave you, nothing will be able to separate us, take my hand and let's go."


Cautiously we begin the run, the doubts still overwhelming us. The first step is hard, the second is a little easier, the third even easier, suddenly we begin to enjoy running for the first time, as the doubts begin to fade. For the first time, reading His Word becomes a pleasure, praying becomes like talking to your best friend, attending church becomes a time of utter enjoyment, telling others about what He has done is no longer an obligation.  Puzzled we ask, "What happened?"


His reply, "Love! All I have ever asked of you is that you love me and love others."

"But what about before, I did all the right things I never seemed to get it right, but now I love doing those things."

"My child, when you love me, everything else just falls into place, let's keep running. You have much more to learn."

As we keep running at a steady pace, the run is now utter joy, it's free, it's invigorating, it's indescribable!  Suddenly, the path ahead takes an unexpected turn, it looks dark, we stop in fear. "Lord, I can't do it, I can't see the path."

"Child, my Word will light your way, plus-look behind you."

Confused we turn towards the path behind us; we are surprised by the sight.  The path had been tough, the path had been covered by rocks, thorns, and weeds, it had been a difficult path all along.  "Lord, how did I make it through?"

"My grace. My grace will see you through the path ahead."

Again we take His hand and we run the race. The path may be difficult, the run may be hard, but running with the Savior instead of for the Savior has made all the difference.

Nick has been gone at Officer's Development School (ODS) for the past week.  I never knew how long a week could be, how slowly the time could pass, or how lonely it is without Nick.  I have a new appreciation for those I know whose spouses are gone for long periods of time.

Isn't he so handsome :)  I am very proud of him.  He was been working so hard for the past year and a half for this.  He was been gone for one week, and he will be gone for another four weeks.  He was been blogging about what has been going on in his blog here.

The kids and I are attempting to stay busy since our school year has been over for the past couple weeks.  We spend last week cleaning out bedrooms.  This week we will be spending time in the doctor's office getting all the kids their wellness check-ups.

Aaron's 5th birthday is this week.  It is hard to believe he is already 5!  Five years ago at this time I was very impatiently waiting for my son who was already 6 days late!  He keeps asking if he can have has birthday presents early; he has no patience!  We are having some friends over to help celebrate his birthday and we are having his favorite meal-chicken and fries.

So basically life is pretty boring around here, not that boring is a bad thing, it just makes the days seem really long.

A look back

This past year has flown by, there have been struggles and difficulties a long the way, but the Lord has been faithful to us through it all.  We as a family as learned so much.  A year ago at this time we were looked at what I considered a fearful storm, it looked very ominous in my mind and I was very afraid.  I knew in my head that the Lord would take care us, but I couldn't see how.  As I consider the events of this past year, I must say it has been a great year.  We saw the Lord provide for us abundantly.  Every need that we had was supplied, not just that, but the wants that we had were supplied.  We serve a great God!

I have learned so much about the Lord that we serve this year.  I have learned of his faithfulness and goodness. I have been amazed by his mercy and his justice.  I have sat in awe of his amazing love for us.  I have contemplated verse like: Rom 8:32  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
How small is our faith.  We have a Heavenly Father who gave his only begotten, beloved Son so that we could have eternal life.  He gave us something most amazing, but He is not done yet.  He will freely give us all that we need. In response we fret and worry about things that we need, when we have a Heavenly Father who gives to us freely!