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

Dry Bones

Ezekiel 37:14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land.  Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord. This is God's word through Ezekiel in the Valley of the Dry Bones.  There are a couple of thoughts that come to mind with this verse.  First, I have to admit that sometimes I feel as though I have dry bones.  I continue on my path and lose sight of the One who brings life. At times I am surrounded by things, people, or situations that suck the life out of me and I need the breath of life from the Spirit again.  It is a conscious effort for me to not involve myself in things that are life taking.  I make the decision to spend alone time with Jesus in order to experience His life giving power.  Second, one word in particular stands out to me in this verse.  It is the word settle.  It is speaking to me today of a peace and calm that is ahead.  Things ha...
1 comment
Read more

By Grace

Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. Works and grace are two terms that are so difficult to grasp in the Christian walk.  We know that if we are living by grace then works should be seen.  The issue is that we often times try to do the works on our own rather than letting the works be a by-product of the Spirit within us.  We take over our own lives trying to do good and be good rather than letting the grace of God work in us to transform us into the new creation that is good. Instead, we like to list off all of the ways we have shown God's goodness to those around us, or how we've conquered a sinful habit, or how we've been nice to someone who was not.  Unfortunately, these are what become the "works" Paul wrote about.  We completely remove God's grace from our lives and therefore lose sight of what is most important, the Spirit working in us to transform us.  It is a tricky concept and ...
Post a Comment
Read more

My Lenten Journey

2 Corinthians 7:1 Since we have these promises, dear fiends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. As I have pondered the journey I am to take this Lenten season, this verse has spoken.  God's promise is for us to become sons and daughters through the removal of "unclean things" and separation from unbelievers.  My prayer through Lent is that the Spirit will reveal those "unclean things" in me that I may ask Jesus to step in and begin to cleanse me of them.  As for the unbeliever part, Paul was referring to being "yoked" with an unbeliever.  Since I am not yoked with an unbeliever, I feel called to journey in a different way with unbelievers.  There is a verse in chapter 5 which says, "So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view."  Paul is speaking about believers looking at one another.  When I read it today, it spoke to me of unbelievers. (...
Post a Comment
Read more