Love is the hinge pin that makes the gospel work. Had God not loved us enough, he would not have sent his son. Had Jesus not loved us enough, he would not have died.
So what do they ask of us? Jesus commanded us in John 15;12 that we are to love others as he loved us. Ponder that a moment. In Matthew he commanded that we love our neighbor as ourself. Personally I like the passage in John better. This is not to say that one part of the Bible is better than another. I think I just relate to it better. In Matthew we are loving as much as we love ourselves, but in John that love is to surpass it to a love that is equal to what Jesus had for us. Only he loved enough to give up his life for us.
This means that we are to love our neighbors so much that we would be willing to sacrifice ourself for them.
How can you sacrifice today for another person?
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Have you ever considered...
...what it feels like to die of starvation? To not be able to eat or drink anything? This seems like a really horrifying way to end life as we know it. Now imagine that at the end of this that you can't be sure of the reward.
Near Atlanta my Aunt lays dying just like this. She also can't speak or focus on anything. One thing she does have, though is Life in Christ.
I lay here thinking about her, and then I consider that really we are all like this in our lives. Whether we will admit it or not we spend our lives dying. From the moment we are born we start to die. Some sooner than others.
What makes the difference is that with Christ you can't really die, because in death we gain an inheritance of true life. Here in the world it seems like we are meant to suffer and die so that we can inherit eternal life with the Father.
So to my family, let us not be too saddened by her soon passing, but realize that she is really passing into true life and that we can all see her again. Thank God today that you have that assurance, and if you don't fall now to your knees and ask for it. He will save you and you will come to know true life.
Near Atlanta my Aunt lays dying just like this. She also can't speak or focus on anything. One thing she does have, though is Life in Christ.
I lay here thinking about her, and then I consider that really we are all like this in our lives. Whether we will admit it or not we spend our lives dying. From the moment we are born we start to die. Some sooner than others.
What makes the difference is that with Christ you can't really die, because in death we gain an inheritance of true life. Here in the world it seems like we are meant to suffer and die so that we can inherit eternal life with the Father.
So to my family, let us not be too saddened by her soon passing, but realize that she is really passing into true life and that we can all see her again. Thank God today that you have that assurance, and if you don't fall now to your knees and ask for it. He will save you and you will come to know true life.
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