Pursue Love! (3)

Relationship can’t happen without love. If there's no love, it's not a relationship. It's just two people being in each other's space. Relationship matters to Jesus. In John 14-17 especially, He pointed out the importance of relationships: between Father and Son, between Jesus and us, and our relationships with each other.  

Jesus loved Abba God.

In those chapters, Jesus makes it abundantly clear that He loves His Father, and His actions were an overflow of that love. Their relationship was based in a permanent love that was unstoppable. It makes me wonder...

How well am I loving Abba God and Jesus my Lord?

 

He who loves [family] more than Me is not worthy of Me... - Matthew10:37, NASB

for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me

and have believed that I came forth from the Father. – John 16:27, NASB

…Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”

 [He asked 3 times] – John 21:15–17, NASB

 

Is most of my obedience driven by moral obligation or a desire to please because I love Him?

 

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God,

to those who are called according to His purpose. – Romans 8:28, NASB

 

because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have

toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints; - Philemon 5, NASB

 

For God is not unjust so as to forget your work

and the love which you have shown toward His name,

in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. – Hebrews 6:10, NASB

 

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial;

for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life

which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. – James 1: 12, NASB

 

and though you have not seen Him, you love Him,

and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him,

you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory – 1 Peter 1:8, NASB

 

Abba God, thank You for loving me so deeply and more intimately than I can grasp.  Fill me with a desire to love You better this year, to talk with You more, to listen to You more, to cherish your love letter more deeply. In Jesus’ name...

Pursue Love! (2)

Most people I know either appreciate or try to avoid Paul's writings. He's not exactly gentle. For those of you who may be sweating or rolling your eyes, please bear with me. When I read his letters - and I didn't always feel this way - I can feel his incredible passion and near-desperation to see people strong in faith and FREE. I suppose that's another topic for another day...

How does this relate to our Pursue Love series?  Read Paul's motive in 1 Timothy 1:5

"But the goal of our instruction

is love

from a pure heart

and a good conscience and

a sincere faith."

 

What's our motive in our relationships? Are we connecting in love when we speak or  email/text/twitter? What about through our creations, our work, and our body language?

• Am I quick to speak? Out of love? Do I remember God's grace toward me? It isn't God's forcefulness that draws me closer to Him, and I need to remember that when I'm engaged with someone who disagrees. 
• When was the last time someone thanked me for encouraging them? Am I always pointing to God's kindness? Am I a bit demanding? Not sure? Ask Abba for opportunities to encourage, to speak truth with grace and kindness.
• Do I expect others to do life just like me? Is there even one brother or sister in Christ whom I'm irritated by simply because their life looks differently than mine? Honestly evaluate whether you love them out of a pure love. Most of us can improve in this area.  
• Do I allow for our differences? Do I accept that journeys are meant to be different - in timing and method? Am I afraid that God isn't working fast enough in someone's life? Have I prayed FOR this person before attempting to change their trajectory for them? 

If we could love more like Jesus, just imagine how different our networks might look!

Jesus was clear:

• He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father except through Him. Jesus is THE Way; not a bunch of rules and regulations.
• He calls us to follow Him, to love God, and to love people. 
• He didn't - and doesn't - demand that His followers have it all together. As we abide in Him, He changes us and helps us to deny the fleshly desires.  

"Faith, hope and love... the greatest of these is love."  

Abba God, thank You for loving me when I was your enemy, for clothing me with Christ Jesus, and for making me worthy of the title "Beloved." Thank You for bearing with my human frailties and loving me today as I am. How incredibly beyond my comprehension that You see me through the blood of Christ Jesus, instead of as a hopeless and slow-to-learn ball of clay. Give me your eyes to see others as You see me - with LOVE. Enable me to love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. Help me be quick to show kindness. Give me a strong desire to only lift my hands in praise or in a sweet hugging embrace - and remove the desire to lift my pointy finger in judgment. When I'm called to voice truth, sprinkle grace all over my tongue (and fingers if I'm typing); stop me from communicating out of judgment or fear. Help me appreciate and honor my brothers and sisters. Truly, You have made the Body of Christ beautiful, full of unique parts and we need each other. I'm so glad... In Jesus' name...

Pursue Love! (1)

Abba God, I don't really want to write this next series. I don't feel prepared. I don't have a plan I'm comfortable with. I don't feel like I have anything much to offer, but THAT'S OK. You love me as I am. Where I am. Somehow You take all my falls, scrapes, and messes and - joyfully - make something really beautiful from them. Just like the widow's mite, You can take our little gifts - all we have to offer back to You - and do something bigger than we can imagine with them. You are the only source of good, and I'm so thankful that YOU can work all things together for the good of those who love You and are called according to your purpose. May You be glorified. May your peace and grace be strong in our hearts.  Thanks for your peace.  

A few themes have been popping up:

• God is faithful - always. We trust; He finishes what He started.
• Hope. Not only for eternal life, but for abundant life while waiting to go Home.
• Love. We, the church, need to LOVE (not condemn OR grumble). 

One particular email struck me with a sense of urgency this morning. The message?
 
Love.
 
“Let this be the year that we pursue love... that we stop talking about love, that we do less regretful moaning... and actually be determined to love more the way Jesus loved (John 15:12). Let this be the year we actually put into place some strategies to help us love..."

"But let’s also be clear: making love our aim will demand more courage and faith than any other resolution we can make. Nothing exposes the depth of our sin like really seeking to love God with our entire being and loving our neighbors as ourselves (Luke 10:27)."  

Oh, Abba, please enable us and strengthen our resolve to love... because of the grace and mercy which You've so freely given us. Free those who are believers yet seem "stuck" in the sins of complaints, grumbling, and pointing fingers. Abba help us all to live an abundant life with grace that overflows to those around them.  May those who don't know You see that we are Christians because of how well we love. In Jesus' name...