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?

Fourteen days of God’s Love: Day One

“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 over-react 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 that 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, than 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?

 

Prayer:
Loving Father,
Give us the strength to love our neighbor and mankind with Your love.  Let Your words be upon our lips as we extend Your grace to those that we meet.  Help us to demonstrate Your love, mercy and kindness in all that we do today.   In Your name we pray – Amen



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How He Loves Us

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loves is born of God, and knows God” – 1 John 4:7


The words are written in several scriptures throughout the Holy Bible, “God is love”; “God loved us so much He gave His only Son to die”; 

“Rather it is because of his love for you and his faithfulness to the promise he solemnly vowed to your ancestors”  or “I have loved you with an everlasting love”  God’s love is not something that we can fathom on earth.  It is something that each of us desperately needs and craves though. It’s inherent from birth, the need to be loved, to be accepted and to be cherished.

We are incapable of fulfilling that deep desire for acceptance.  Our natural inclination is to look for that need in those around us, those that are closest too us.  But even here, many times, there is no acceptance; which then leads to hopelessness.  God’s love though is immutable, never changing and not dependent upon anything you can do or anything you have done.  Unlike those around you, who will love you based on your last encounter with them, good or bad; God’s love spans all emotions and is pure, righteous and complete.

When Christ cried out from the cross “Eloi, Eloi lama sabachthani – My God, My God why have You forsaken me” (Matthew 27:46)  God looked down upon His Son and in His infinite wisdom and love for all of mankind, did nothing to stop the death of Jesus Christ.  He could have reigned fire down upon the people of Jerusalem that day, but He knew what would happen in 3 days time.  Furthermore, He knows that life on this earth is fleeting and that real life abounds in heaven for eternity.  Because of His strongest desire to have you and I enter into this eternal joy and happiness with Him, He let this plan of redemption be fulfilled that day on the cross. 

You see, despite your choice to love Him or not too love Him, He loves you enough to make a way for you to join Him in heaven.  You don’t deserve it, none of us do.  We wake, we pray, we sing praise songs, we put on the suit and play the part.  For these things we tell the world “Look at me, I love God.”  Then we lie, cheat, fight, kill, pursue pornography, drugs and alcohol, steal, rape, pillage and slander our brother and sister, hide from the world’s view, so they don’t see the truth.  But we can’t hide from the Lord, He sees every breath we take, and knows every thought before it is executed upon.  Yet, despite the evil that resides within each of our hearts, He has chosen to love us and offer us salvation through His Son. 

If we trust that Jesus’ death upon the cross was sufficient redemption for the sin of mankind, than is there any justification to say that it isn’t sufficient for whatever sin you are facing?  For if His blood is not sufficient for your sin, than the sacrifice is not sufficient for any sin.  There is no future chapter to be added to the scriptures offering another sacrifice or another path of redemption.  What God did, through Christ’s death and resurrection is complete and sufficient for every possible sin.

That’s how much love God has for you.  He has given you a way to overcome the sin of this world and live out eternity with Him in heaven.  The choice remains yours though and cannot be forced upon you.   

“He is jealous for me.  Loves like a hurricane I am a tree, bending beneath the weight and wind of His mercy.”
                                                – “How He Loves” - David Crowder Band

             

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