For the Love of God

Love. It is such a simple word, yet at the same time it can seem so complex. But, is it really? There seems to be a difference between human love and God-given love. Human love has strings attached and is not all-abiding. Love given by God is eternal and exists whether it is deserved or not. A good ministry is found on God's love.

Today I wrote an email to someone I love and I shared some confused thoughts in a way that might not seem all-loving, but were not meant to harm. Then tonight, as I was reading through 1 John, I came across chapter 4, verse 18 which reads, "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." I realized that it is because of the love this person shares towards me, that I was able to write my true thoughts and feelings, because I did not fear the person's response. Which then made me think about how much more vulnerable we are with those we love and how we often hurt the people we love the most by the things we say, and I began to wonder, how much this has to do with the fact that we feel safe in that person's love and so we have no fear of being rejected and so we're willing to take the risk to be real, because we're committed to working it out and loving each other.

Then I reflected on a conversation I had just moments ago with another friend about ministry. This friend commented on how when they were at the point where their human love was about to run out, God sent a quick reminder of His love, so that they were filled and able to share His love which is eternal. Perfect love casts out fear. Love that is perfect continues, even once our human love with its limitations and boundaries runs out.

Whew! I'm tired. I'll stop there, but I beg you to keep exploring this thought by reading through 1 John and seeing what God has to say to you there.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Excellent post! :-)
10:37 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

They touched Jesus, but then, how did they pray?

I'm sitting in my room praying and thinking, "After the resurrection did the disciples pray to Jesus?" Just imagine this with me for a moment. You have spent the past 2 - 3 years of your life following this intriguing man around, your feet are calloused, your memory is overflowing with moments around the campfire or dinner table, and you've been challenged to completely shift your Jewish worldview. And then he is gone. Just as quick as he came, just as brief as the moment he walked the shoreline past your fishing boat and called out to you, he is gone. And you are left knowing you've met an incredible man who was more than a man -- a man who was somehow divine. Now there is no one around you analyzing deep fulfilled Christological theological concepts, but there are plenty of Greek voices and new philosophical ways of contemplating life's happenings, there are Jewish commentaries, and there are the conversations that have happened along the roadside. An...
Read more

Palm Sunday School Lesson for Teenagers

Scripture: Luke 22:17-20 Topic: When Jesus ate with his Disciples Background: This lesson would be taught during a Sunday morning breakfast club for teenagers. Once a month the youth meet to cook breakfast and then we try to relate the lesson to food. Last time the Middle School breakfast club met a middle school student led his peers in a devotional that went through the various stories of Jesus sharing food with his disciples. This Sunday we are going to focus on one of those stories and how it relates to Easter. Opening: 1. Ask, “Have you ever helped plan a party?” a. Ask the students to share about the various things they did to prepare (send invites, decorate, blow up balloons, set the table, plan games, order food). 2. Say, “For some families, Easter is a time of celebration, a party of sorts.” a. Ask, “What does your family do to celebrate Easter?” (family gets together, we eat dinner together, Easter egg hunt, attend church se...
Read more

Sabbath

Genesis 2:2-4 (The Message) 2-4 By the seventh day God had finished his work. On the seventh day he rested from all his work. God blessed the seventh day. He made it a Holy Day Because on that day he rested from his work, all the creating God had done. This is the story of how it all started, of Heaven and Earth when they were created. If God the greatest worker rested, why don't we?
Read more