Skip to main content

Love From the Heart

1 Peter 1:22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brother, love one another deeply, from the heart.

There is so much divisiveness in our world today.  There are many, many issues that cause us to choose sides.  This hurts my heart.  I do not understand our human nature that wants to be right and have every little thing go our own way.  And when it does not go our way, we become frustrated, volatile, and hurtful to the very ones we deeply loved moments before.  How can we love one another deeply from the heart when we share completely opposite viewpoints?  I look to Jesus.  He hung around prostitutes, crooked tax collectors, mouthy fishermen and got along with them all.  I think it is safe to say, because Jesus said it, that Jesus didn't agree with every single thing these people thought or did.  As a matter of fact, in some cases he had completely opposite viewpoints.  Yet these people actually sought him out and were changed by being in his very presence.  They didn't need him to tell them to change their ways, they were compelled to because they knew he loved each of them deeply.  Jesus' love had nothing to do with their actions or opinions.  The only way we can truly love our brothers and sisters from the heart (no matter their viewpoint) is to allow Jesus into our lives deep enough that he is actually who loves them through us.  We cannot do it without him.  The Pharisees tried and out of their piety put to death the very one who came to save them.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Signs of His Work

Joshua 4:6 to serve as a sign among you.  In the future, when your children ask you, 'What do these stones mean?' I realize this is a very fragmented verse, but go with it.  This got me to thinking.  What are the stones in my life that serve as signs of God's work in my life?  I am not a big fan of material items because I don't really care about stuff.  It's just that, stuff.  So, I've had to think a little harder about this.  The obvious sign of God's current work is the tennis bracelet I wear in memory of Mom.  Other obvious signs that might include my Bible, Dalton's grandmother's wedding ring, and my wedding ring.  However, if I think of the things in my life that are the most evident of God's work, it would be the stories of the different journeys God and I have been on together.  The story of how I got my current job and the multitude of "God things" that surrounded that moment.  The story of a college friend telling me, "...
Post a Comment
Read more

Channels Only

2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. Our treasure is the Spirit of God and the jar of clay is our earthly body.  In this section of scripture Paul is explaining to the people of Corinth that they are a channel for God to shine through and that through Jesus we will never be separated from God again.  At the hospice house, Liz, my sister, sat down and played Channels Only on the piano.  This is a song that has deep and lasting meaning for my family, but today I instantly thought of my mother lying in the bed in the next room and felt the truth in the words of that song.  Tears began to stream as I recognized to the fullest extent what it means to be a channel for God.  It is my prayer. Channels Only by Mary E. Maxwell How I praise Thee, precious Savior, That Thy love laid hold of me; Thou hast saved and cleansed and filled me  That I might Thy channel be. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Freedom Reigns

Genesis 3:8 The the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. The captivity of Satan in this moment really struck me today.  After eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, Adam and Eve become captives of Satan.  They lose focus on God and His providence and begin to take over their own lives, right then and there.  Their peace is completely taken from them.  When God comes to the garden, they hide themselves from Him, not because they are naked, they've covered themselves, but because they are captives.  They cannot even begin to think about being in the presence of God because they have been bound by the evil one.  Thankfully, the story of humanity doesn't end there.  When Jesus comes, He sets mankind free from Satan's captivity.  When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior allowing Him to heal our wounds, we b...
Post a Comment
Read more