Break Through the Surface

Set me as a seal upon your heart,
as a seal upon your arm,
for love is strong as death,
jealousy is fierce as the grave.
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
the very flame of the LORD. – Song of Solomon 8:6

 

What is it that draws two individuals together in love?  Is it the sexual attraction, is it the intelligence, is it the wealth of one of them, is it the similarity of interests, or is it simply a chance meeting?  Every relationship is unique in that there is always an initial meeting.

Lisa and I met at a Christmas dance.  I was a Junior and she was a Freshman.  She came to the dance with my best friend; needless to say, I had a different girl on my arm that night.  The night progressed, and we all went out for fries and shakes after the dance.  Somewhere in the middle of the evening at the Big Boy restaurant, Lisa bumped a Coke glass on the table, and the entire contents flowed onto my brand new powder blue leisure suit.  Amidst embarrassing apologies and laughter, a spark was lit when our eyes locked in a warm, laughing moment.  I accepted her apology and gave her a candy cane from the Christmas tree in the lobby.  Then our paths went separate directions for the next 3 ½ years, until that same best friend reintroduced me to Lisa one sunny afternoon in the summer of 1986.  That was the beginning of what God brought together, as only He could.

Recall a relationship in your life and what drew you together.  Now, what sustained that relationship?  Time together.  The more time you spend with a significant other, the closer you become.  The more you know them, the more they become written upon your heart, and your love is strengthened.  A relationship can be formed on sexual desire and attraction, but it will not be sustained by that.  Sustaining a relationship requires intimacy and depth of understanding.  You cannot remain at a surface-level relationship for a relationship to become strong; it takes time and effort.

So it is with loving God.  You may have become attracted to God through a worship song, a prayer, a scripture at just the right moment, and emotional breakdown.  But, I posit, to strengthen that relationship requires you to invest significant time and effort.  Who is this Jesus?  How well do you know Him?  How are you getting to know Him better?  You want a deeper word from God, then be in His Word more frequently.  Study it, get to know Him deeper.  Write His name upon your heart, just as He has written yours upon His.  God wants more than a surface-level relationship and is not holding back, unless you aren’t seeking more.  Break the surface today, and dive into the deep end with God. He’s ready when you are.

Don't Follow the Lie

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But, I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.” 

– Matthew 5:43-45

 

Protesters on both sides of the street.  Shouting obscenities at each other, carrying signs about death, hatred, and anger.  Each side believes they are righteous in their beliefs, but their beliefs are polar opposites, or at least they have been taught that they are.  A stranger walks down the middle of the street as both sides watch closely to see which way he is leaning, to know if he will be or will not be accepted into their group.  His characteristics are generic, no color discrimination, no obvious political affiliation, no environmental or gender cause support or protest is evident, and there is no way to know if he is a citizen or not.  They observe with curiosity as to whether to welcome him or not.

He sits in the middle of the road and pulls out a Bible.  He starts reading quietly to himself.  This alone can’t break their curiosity, because both sides of the street claim the scriptures support their cause based on their interpretation.  Both sides assume he’s a Christian, but that doesn’t help them understand if he’s for or against them.  They want to accept him, but they have to be careful.  If he disagrees with one of their positions, or if he likes a certain political candidate, or if he is pro-gun, or pro-choice, or pro-life, or pro-oil, he must immediately be eliminated from their group and added to the hated list.  

He rises from his seated position in the middle of the street and pulls a rolled-up sign from inside his jean jacket.  Both sides look on and believe this is it, we’ll know if he’s with us or against us.  Finally, we’ll know if we can accept him or if we are to hate him.  As he unrolls the sign, they all look on in quiet anticipation.  He lays the sign facedown on the ground and securely attaches it to a long pole.  He straightens up and instinctively looks around before he grabs the pole and begins to lift it high above any of the signs on either side of the road.

The sign is simple.  A cross in the sunset is depicted on the sign, with a dove sitting upon the top of the cross.  Blood is dripping from each of the two sides of the cross beam, and from the bottom of the vertical post.  Across the beam is one simple word in large letters:

I     L  O  V  E    Y’  A  L  L

We have gone too far, my friends.  God’s love is for everyone.  You and I must choose to accept and live in it, or choose to follow the world and live in hate.  Hatred doesn’t come from God; it comes from the evil powers within the world.  This Prince of this world is intent on destroying mankind, and therefore must sow thoughts of division, deceit, anger, self-centeredness, pride, and hatred into our everyday walk.  In doing so, he breaks the Christian body into fragments that all of a sudden are battling each other, rather than their one purpose to lift up God Almighty through loving each other.  

The enemy is winning, and many of us are helping him succeed without even knowing it.  Trust in the Lord, with all of your heart, and follow His commandments, His Word, and His purpose.  Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

His Love Never Changes

“The LORD appeared to him from afar, saying, "I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with loving kindness” - Jeremiah 31:3

The act of giving birth was the often considered to be the most painful experience a woman would ever endure, but I posit that it is actually the second most painful thing a mother would ever have to endure.  Do you know what the first was, and still is to this day?  It is not a physical pain, as in the act of labor, but much deeper and long-lasting.  I have watched my wife give birth five times, and I’ve observed that despite the pain experienced during the delivery.  Her love for the newborn child significantly outweighs any of the discomforts leading up to that moment.  A woman’s relationship with her newborn child is stronger than any relationship she has encountered up to that point, including her relationship with her parents, her siblings, and even her spouse.  The act of carrying a child for nine months and then giving birth creates such a strong bond that there is often nothing a mother wouldn’t do for her child.  But still, this pain of childbirth is only the second most painful thing a mother will encounter.  The most painful thing that a mother will encounter is the act of rejection from one of her children.

There is a love in a family that is community-bred.  An invisible tie that binds all the members together in support of one another.  It is stressed from time to time as conflict arises, but it is always present in our awareness of each other.  This love that exists between family members is different than the love that exists between a mother and her child.  The difference can be characterized in something that is learned versus something that is inherent.  The mother and her child share a physical bond formed during the pregnancy that cannot be replicated in any other relationship.  The internal development of a fetus inside a mother’s womb, the sharing of blood, the creation of cells, and feeling the movements is unlike anything else in this world.  Siblings learn to love one another because they are supposed to.  A husband and wife fall in love over a period of months or years during courtship, as they learn about each other and accept each other for who they are.  The mother/child relationship is unique and the closest thing we can draw from to understand the love of God for His children.

God loves you uniquely.  He loves every person on the earth today, in the past, and in the future equally.  There are no degrees of love that differentiate His love for you from His love for your neighbor, because God’s love is immutable, constant, and unchanging.  God does not play favorites, and love one more or less than another.  This means that His love for you is equal to His love for Adam, Eve, King David, Moses, Abraham, Isaac, Ruth, Esther, Joshua, Caleb, Jeremiah, Isaiah, John the Baptist, Peter, John the beloved, Mark, and even Jesus Christ.  You must realize that He loves you completely and wholeheartedly.  Every ounce of His love He showed for the Egyptians as they came out of captivity and finally entered into the promised land is there for you as well. 

In Genesis, we read of Noah and the ark.  After the flood subsided, how many people were alive?  According to Genesis 7:13, there were 8.  Eight people entered the ark and stayed there for forty days.  During which, as we read in Genesis 7:21, every living thing on earth perished, including mankind.  If you could imagine being the only person in the world today, God would love you exactly the same as He did Noah and his family upon the ark.  He loves you for all of your uniqueness, your potential and your ability to love Him in return.  He loves you despite your iniquities and transgressions, your faults and propensity to sin.  Despite your age, your weight, your hairline or your handicap – He loves you because you are His child. 

From Adam and Eve, through Noah and his three sons, we are all children of the Almighty God.  He created you for a purpose, and forgetting all of those around you, gives His love uniquely to you.  The responsibility is upon you to accept that love and the grace of salvation that accompanies it.  He cannot love you more than He does, nor less than He does.  God’s love for you is not like that of a family, though; it is not formed through experiences and learning.  It is formed through creation.  He created you and, in doing so, loves you so immensely that it cannot be measured by human standards.  A mother’s love for her child does not change when a child rejects her.  Oh, on the surface, she might be angry and portray otherwise, but deep inside her heart and mind, her love for that child is as deep as the day the child was born.  The thing is, God loves you so much and knows that you cannot love Him equally in return.  The beauty of His grace is that His love for you is not dependent upon your love for Him.  He will not force you to love Him; you have to choose to.

Have We Spoiled Them?

 “So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less?”  – 2 Corinthians 12:15

Often is the case that the parent gives everything; time, money, and wisdom to his or her children, only to have that child disrespect and dishonor them.  We see it time and time again, where children seem to have a feeling of entitlement because they have been sheltered and provided for their whole life.  What do we gain by giving everything we have to our children if we are only creating an adult who expects others to give to them unjustly?

I can assure you, having raised 2 and still raising 3 children in our home, it can easily be said that we spoil our children.  As I think back over the years, I ask myself why I give and continue to give to my children.  I think the answer comes down to love.  Wait a minute.  That then implies that love can be bought, and certainly everyone knows that it cannot.  For the gifts will one day be abandoned and left to rust or decay.  Some might say that love is an emotional bond between individuals that is not valued in possessions and gifts but rather in actions, or perhaps it’s in the words shared between two people.

Certainly, if someone does something nice for another or compliments them, there is a feeling of worth associated to the kindness.  I do nice things for people I don’t even know, and I’m sure you do as well.  Does this imply that you love them or that you care for them?  The scriptures tell us that even the evildoers will do good things, but will not be accepted into heaven (Matthew 7:22-23).  Good works are just that good and kind and generous, but in and of themselves do not fully demonstrate the love of the Father.

Just as a parent will give a child financial means, clothing, shelter, food, knowledge, wisdom, and skills throughout their upbringing, only to have the child walk away unappreciative and feeling entitled, it is often that way with God.  Right where you sit at this very moment, look around you and take in all that has been provided to you.  Perhaps you are in your home and protected from the elements.  If you’re reading this, chances are you have electricity, a computer, and an internet connection.  You likely had a pillow under your head last night.  You probably have clothes on your back and food in your pantry.  You may not be rich in possessions, but you are provided for because you have been given talents and opportunities to create an income.  The Lord above gave you everything you have, not in that He purchased these things for you, but in that He created you and, in doing so, created your ability to think, work, and sustain your life, and through His word has taught you right from wrong.

Yet, each day we awake, get dressed, and eat breakfast; all the while taking for granted that God the Father provided these things for us.  If you are wealthy and of substantial means, it is not because of anything you have done.  It is only because you have used the skills, knowledge, and talents that God the Father gave to you.  He has given us everything we have, including the ultimate gift of eternal life.  How many of His children recognize everything He has done for them, yet still turn their back and refuse to accept His love and grace.  Billions, yes billions.  If you take a look around you today, recognize everything He has given to you and realize that indeed you are truly blessed.  His love for you is immutable and never changing; it cannot be more or less than it is at this very moment.  You are loved by the Creator of the universe.

Who's Going to Help them

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  

–  John 13:34-35

A Polar Vortex has descended once again upon the country of America.  From coast to coast, people are experiencing record-setting low temperatures, freezing rain, and ice storms.  As I watch the news, I recall a memory from when we had just moved to Florida, years ago. I had just left the office.  It was late, probably well after 11 PM, but I had put the final touches on the presentation, and the meeting in the morning was going to be a slam-dunk.  I had been working on the project for well over 8 months, and finally, we were ready to reveal it to the executives, and if they approved it, we would get our funding.  As I walked out the door into the parking garage, I noticed it was darker than I expected and much colder.   Having not worn a jacket this day, I was freezing by the time I reached my car.  It was one of those nights when you could see your breath as it seemed to hang just in front of you.  This didn’t change, even when I shut the door and started the engine.  It had been 60 degrees that morning, but a Nordic cold front had moved in the temperature dropped to the 20’s.  Yes, it even gets cold in Florida in the winter months, nothing like we are all experiencing now, but cold nonetheless.

I sat in my car for a few minutes waiting for the temperature to warm up.  Finally, the vents were blowing full blast, and warm air started to ease the shivering.  I proceeded to leave the work campus out onto the service drive next to I-4.  As I drove under the highway, I couldn’t believe my eyes.  Where did all of these people come from?  At least a hundred people were lying close together under the highway with cardboard, plastic bags, and newspapers covering them.  The only protection they had that night from the bitter chill in the air was whatever they could find lying on the ground during the day.  They lay close together so their body warmth would help, but even then, they had to be freezing.  I was frozen just walking 5 minutes to my car; these people had to endure this weather for the next 8 to 10 hours until the sun came up.

Do you ever have one of those moments when you come to realize just how unbelievably blessed you really are?  There are millions of people every day living on the streets around the world.  The homeless population is not going down, but just the opposite, it’s getting worse.  This includes those that are in shelters, but the number of beds in shelters is pretty static, and therefore, the number of people on the streets is increasing dramatically.  Many reasons cause homelessness, including violent and abusive relationships, financial hardship, drug addictions, mental illness, and teenage runaways.  In many cases, the individuals on the streets are not there because they chose it; they are there because of a series of events that left them without financial means and no ability to recover.

Regardless of the reason for their arrival in this situation in life, we have an obligation to love them.  Their status, their lack of home ownership, or their ability to have a job does not differentiate them from you and me in God’s eyes.  His love is indeterminate and immutable.  It has no condition and cannot be changed.  The love that is given to You from God the Father is equally available to the person without a home to lay their head.  Consider the fact that Jesus Christ never owned a home {Matthew 8:20}.  He was taken in by those around Him every night, or slept under the stars, I imagine.  We must be able to look at the homeless living around and amongst us and find ways to bring them comfort, peace, and love.

How do we demonstrate God’s love to those who have no internet, no TV, no bible and are often ignored and forgotten?  We must go to them.  They are not inclined to come to your door and ask for help, and the shelters can only hold so many.  Showing God’s love is the one thing we can do by simply reaching out to them in their environment.  

Here is my recommendation.  If you have the means, put 4 to 5 blankets in your trunk, and a few bags of non-perishable, easy-to-open food items, along with some hygiene products and feminine products.  Keep this supply of items in your car, so that the next time you drive by a homeless person, you can do something to share God’s love.  Hand them the blanket or bag, give them a blessing from God (as simple as “God loves you and wanted me to give this to you”), and then, most importantly, pray for that person.  Then replenish the supply in your car for the next opportunity that comes along.  We can all make a difference in the lives of those around us simply by taking the time to do something.

Love One Another

 “Dear friends, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Whoever loves is a child of God and knows God” – 1 John 4:7

When the crying had stopped, the little girl managed to tell her father just what had happened.  Apparently, there had been an argument over a toy, and the young boy had gotten somewhat aggressive with the little girl.  Both kids were prone to fighting and arguing from time to time, as all brothers and sisters do.  But this time, the tears in his daughter’s eyes were much more real, and the situation she described was far beyond the average spat between siblings.  The boy had lost his temper and physically hit his sister, who was 2 years older, but still much more fragile.  The father quickly analyzed the situation and had to make a prompt decision.  He could scold the boy, discipline him, and try to enforce their policy of peace rather than violence, but this wasn’t the first time, so obviously it didn’t work before.

The father called the boy into the room.  As he stood by the door, head hung in shame and guilt, the father called him closer.  “Joey, did you hit your sister?” the father asked.  “She pushed me and wouldn’t give me the game,” he replied.  “That is not the answer to the question I asked you, though is it?  Once again, did you hit your sister? Yes or no.”  “Yes”, Joey said with defeat in his voice.  “Joey, tell me the bible story about Jesus beating up the men in Jerusalem who arrested him.  Is that in Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John?”  Joey thought a moment and answered that he couldn’t.

“Oh, come on, there must be a story of Jesus beating up someone.  After all, they arrested him, beat him, spit on him, called him names, nailed him to a cross, and killed him.  You mean he never raised a hand against them?” 

“No, sir.” 

“Well, he must have cursed them from the cross, right?” 

“No, sir.” 

“Well, tell me what he did to those men who beat him and spit upon him and nailed him to the cross?”

“He forgave them.”

“Really, just like that, he forgave them?  Wow.  Now tell me, what was it that your sister did to you that made you think you should hit her so hard that her arm is bruised and she had to come to me crying?”

How often do we overreact when someone wrongs us?  It is common for us to seek some sort of revenge when we are taken advantage of or hurt in any way.  God teaches us throughout the scriptures that vengeance is His and that we are to love our neighbor.  Who is our neighbor?  I propose that it is all of those you come in contact with throughout the day.  It is not only those who live on your block, but those who live on the earth.  The need for God’s love to be shared is not limited by the physical address you happen to live at.  If you wander across the railroad tracks to the “other” side of town, your neighborhood just doubled in size.  If you are traveling abroad, your neighborhood just expanded by thousands of miles.  God’s love is for all mankind; who are we to decide who is and is not worthy of receiving it?

The key is to seek the love of others as if God Himself were looking through your eyes.  There may be times when you find yourself beyond control, so look to Him for the strength to forgive and love them.  God has given everything for you and asked that you give everything for Him in return.  Who is it that you need to forgive today?  I think it’s time, take that step, won’t you?

You're Lovable None the Less

Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? No, in all these things we are conquerers through Him who loved us"  Romans 8:34-37

The rose drops petals when left uncut.  The bold redness fades to black, and they wither before they become disjoined from the stem.  Eventually, the stalk is bare and naked of its radiance and beauty.  But is it still a rose?  If not, then what is it?

The child wakes angry at his or her parents for their authority and strictness.  Friends whisper in their ear that they don’t need the parents, or the rules, or judgment.  The child packs a bag, takes a few $20 bills from Dad’s wallet, and walks out the door, hops in a car, and is gone.  No note, Tweet, text, or call – just gone.  Is he or she still the child of those parents?

Tell me then, at what point in our lives can we stop being children of God?  If our spirit dies within us, and the fire is burnt out, has the love of our Father changed?  If we have chosen the wrong path and done unmentionable acts of unrighteousness, is the redemptive act of Christ’s death and resurrection unattainable?  Tell me of the sinful action that you have determined is beyond God’s grace and mercy. 

The Pharisees and Sadducees lived their lives as if they could abide within God’s law.  Even in their education, discipline, and strictness, their hearts and arrogance exposed their unrighteousness.  Jesus Christ came as the new covenant between man and God, not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it with perfection.  His life portrayed the will, the love, and the spirit of God Almighty.  Through His perfection, He introduced us to God’s expectations of His children.  The problem this created, though, is that mankind is incapable of living this life because of our inherent sinful nature.

The fact that we are born of mankind, the blood of Adam runs through us.  The sinful nature over millennia of time has not washed clean and never will.  Jesus Christ was not born of man’s blood, but born of the Holy Spirit, through Mary.  The fact that in His perfection and holiness, He took our sins upon Himself and provided complete redemption for all of our iniquities.  The blood He shed upon the cross was a pure sacrifice from the lamb of God and sufficient for any sin that had been, or would ever be.  His life and His blood are all that He could give, nothing more.  If it is not sufficient to redeem the sin that dwells within you, then it is insufficient for any sin.  God did not send His Son to die for some, but for ALL who believe in Him.  Otherwise, John 3:16 might read something like this: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, so that some of you who believe in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.”  You know that is not what it says, you know this verse by heart, and you know it says “…that whosoever believes …”

You either believe it or you don’t.  If you don’t, then you are stating you don’t believe that God’s word is truthful and authentic.  It indicates that you believe you know more than the Creator about the rules and guidelines for eternal life.  Here is the reality of the situation.  You are dealing with human guilt, pressed down upon you by your own feelings, not from God.  You see, God cannot love you more than He does.  He gave you everything you need to enter eternal life with Him in heaven.  There is no second round of redemption coming; Christ’s death and resurrection are sufficient.  This love of the Father is infinitely greater than anything our human mind can conceive and therefore cannot be increased, nor can it be decreased.  It is unchanging, immutable, and consistent.  Nothing you can do can separate you from His love?  It is strictly your choice whether you want to accept it or not.  Just as your child will always be your child, whether they are happy with you at the moment or not, you were created by Him and for Him, and you can’t undo that.