Mar. 5, 2007 - The Love of God
This is what God has been teaching me. Maybe it's for you, too. I struggle with being good enough or guilty or something. I've not done anything really bad- but I still struggle with believing that God sent His son for ME. Could it really be THAT simple? That all the wrongs I have done and all the wrongs done to me were nailed to the cross with Him and I can be free? (Am I making any sense??) Can I learn to not be afraid? Can I just be me and let the God of the universe pour His love out in me, to me and through me.
God is love, but He allows such terrible things in the world. Why doesn't he just come and stop all this? Does He remember what it was like down here? Did He ever feel lonely? Did He just get tired? Doesn't God just seem hard to understand sometimes?
But then I always return to His love. Think what it cost Him. Think what He is really offering us. Not rules, not morality or money or things we have to do. Think how different the world would be if we truly believed we are securely loved by God. We would be able to interact with poor people and be judgemental. We could love others and not expect them to save us or redeem us. What if we really, in the deepest part of our soul believed that God just loved us. Just because we are His. We wouldn't get angry when we didn't get our way. We would be wise. We would be giving.
And I think we would give up on religion. There would be nothing to be gained by checking off our spiritual 'to do' list. We would love mercy, do justly and walk humbly with our God- out of love, not out obligation or fear or even worse, duty. Just because we are free, because we are loved. We would help people. We wouldn't judge them, because there would be no need to make ourselves feel good about ourselves. We wouldn't compare ourselves.
What would happen if instead of sending fighting, we really loved people. What if we were not afraid to die? What if we loved them, really loved them, turning the other cheek to our enemies? We may die. But that is happening anyway. We are dying. But if we kept loving them, would they soften. Love is really the only thing that can change people. At least I'm starting to believe that. If instead of fighting with each other, if we were free to love, with God's love wanting nothing in return, I think we really could change people. One at a time.
I'm rambling and the kids are hungry so I will close with this verse:
I Peter 4:
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
Comments
Mar. 5, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by PumpkinsMomma
I totally agree!!! Loving others will win people over when they see how much we care! That can be mainfest in many different ways - through showing compassion and mercy in concrete ways, listening without judgement and being near these people, not running away. We are supposed to be taking the Good News to the world and we must live in a manner that makes them want to listen. Thanks for your post :)
Marie
Mar. 5, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by teachingmisssmartypants
That was something I needed to read today. Thanks for sharing. :) Emily
