Simply Soul Searching
HOW IS GOD LOVING ME – AND WHERE IS GOD LEADING ME?
36. LET US GIVE THANKS! (EASTER)
THE ‘LET’ OF EASTER
Sunday, April 4th
read John 20:1-18.
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks,
by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe…
Hebrews 12:28 (NRSV)
Easter is here! Christ has arisen! Yes, we have received a kingdom that cannot be shaken, so Let us give thanks! This is indeed a day to celebrate, to thank God with all reverence and awe.
Then let’s ask ourselves, “Because of this day, how will I live differently tomorrow?”
On that early Easter morning, no one expected the resurrection. The women were coming to anoint the body. The disciples were fearful and grieving. But when they learned that Jesus was alive, everything changed for them. His close followers would soon begin to share the good news with everyone they could, willing to die for what they knew to be true. What Jesus had said would happen, did! They could trust everything he had taught and lived. They were completely transformed that morning and in the days after.
How does Jesus’s resurrection transform us TODAY?
Our most precious gift is knowing that everything Jesus has promised will come true. There IS life after death, there IS a beautiful, eternal life that will even surpass the life we are privileged to know and experience now. The unshakable kingdom is ours, and so is the peace and hope we have in trusting this.
But the gift of resurrection is not just a future hope for a future time. Because Jesus rose from the dead and gave us his Spirit, we have a guide and companion for our present journey. In the Spirit, we experience daily resurrections for every loss; we receive comfort for our sorrow, healing of our pain, wisdom from our mistakes, hope for our despair, and transformation into new life. We carry deep peace, joy, and hope within us for each new day.
Trusting in these gifts of love, how does our future hope transform our NOW? I have been reflecting on the ways I could be invited to live differently…
~ We have seen how God will always make good from everything – even death – so our bright future is a certainty. Will I live more courageously?
~ We have been given all the truly essential gifts of life through Jesus and his resurrection. Will I live more generously?
~ We have been shown that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Will I live more joyfully?
~ We can trust that every promise Jesus has made is true. Will I live more freely?
~ We will all live together in the glorious eternity of our unshakable kingdom one day, and this kingdom is with us here, now. Will I live more lovingly?
How will today transform your tomorrow?
Happy Easter, dear friends!
~~~~~
“The very first Easter taught us this: that life never ends and love never dies.” –Katie McGahan
~~~~~
Photo by Pisit Heng on Unsplash
Bible verses taken from https://classic.biblegateway.com/
35. LET US LAY ASIDE THE WORKS OF DARKNESS
THE ‘LET’ OF THE EASTER VIGIL
Saturday, April 3rd
Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. Romans 13:11-14 (NRSV)
On that Sabbath Saturday, Jesus was buried in the tomb, his friends and followers were grieving, and we can imagine their bewildered sorrow as they wondered just what had happened – to him, to their dreams, to their hopes of a Savior. How could this man who had completely changed their world suddenly be gone forever? Did his words no longer hold true? What would they do now?
We have the privilege of revisiting this story while knowing what happens next. We know that in just a few more hours, these friends of Jesus will find their deep sorrow turned into surprising joy! We know that in the deep fear and uncertainty of this time of darkness, with Jesus is enclosed in the tomb, wonderful transformation is hidden but definitely happening.
I found that this passage from Romans speaks well to this time of liminal waiting space. Paul is writing to the Romans about the second coming of Christ, but his words are appropriate for this Holy Saturday, and for ALL of our liminal, uncertain, fearful waiting times. We can trust that even in our darkest days, “the night is far gone, the day is near,” because resurrection is always guaranteed, for every loss and death that we endure. We can be comforted that “salvation is nearer to us now” than ever before, because new life in Christ is offered to us for each new moment of our lives.
~~~~~
And so we can continue on, trusting that the dawn is only moments away. In the meantime, let us choose to lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us choose to live honorably as in the day. We live in the light of what we now know to be true: resurrection WILL come. Very soon.
~~~~~
Our reading for Easter Sunday will be John 20:1-18.
Photo by Prateek Gautam on Unsplash
Bible verses taken from https://classic.biblegateway.com/
34. LET HIM BE CRUCIFIED
THE ‘LET’ OF JESUS IN HOLY WEEK – GOOD FRIDAY
Friday, April 2nd
Read Matthew 27:20-50.
Pilate said to them, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”
All of them said, “Let him be crucified!” Then he asked, “Why, what evil has he done?”
But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”
Matthew 27:22-23 (NRSV)
We have come to this terrible day – Good Friday, the day we recall Jesus’s suffering and death by crucifixion. I almost feel as if any of my words are inadequate for reflection. The depth and magnitude of this day are hard to comprehend.
But on this awful day I find two incredible gifts…
Early in Lent, we remembered that Jesus became one with us as a tiny, helpless, human baby (5. LET US GO TO BETHLEHEM). Jesus also became like us when he chose to be baptized (6. LET IT BE SO NOW). And today, most significantly, Jesus became one with criminals as he suffered and died with them. His death wasn’t one superhuman death, his was one terrible death among others who suffered in the same way.
Jesus has experienced everything that we do, and even more; he knows what human life is like, what joys and sorrows we face, and he understands and relates with us completely. Jesus was born in a humble human birth even though he is the Son of God. He was baptized though sinless. He was crucified though innocent. Jesus lived and died doing everything the lowly did. We have this friend who will love, help, understand, forgive, and guide us – because he has done it all, too.
The second gift is the gift of forgiveness that Jesus exemplified on this terrible day. Forgiveness is choosing to stop the hurt instead of returning it with retaliation or revenge. Marty Troyer says it well:
When Pilate asks Jesus if he’s really a king, Jesus replies, “My kingdom is not recognized in this world. If it were from this world, My servants would be fighting for my freedom.” (John 18:36) Instead of entering the expected cycle of violent retribution or choosing to flee, Jesus chooses nonviolent self-sacrifice and forgiveness. Instead of a justifiable war cry, all we hear from Jesus is “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34) At the precise moment one would expect divine anger to boil over into a kind of tit for tat, Jesus refuses every form of retribution imaginable.
And when the rubber meets the road and a disciple has wrongly used violence to protect Jesus (Matthew 26:52) he responds, “Put your sword back into its place, for those who live by the sword will die by the sword.” When Jesus first sees his followers who each hid out of empire’s gaze as he dies a painful death, his words are anything but vengeful: “Peace be to you.”
Rather than tit for tat, Jesus absorbs hate, returning good for evil.1
Even as a fully human being, sharing our struggles, feeling our fears, hearing judgment and criticism, bearing pain and suffering, Jesus chose to stop the violence and hatred. Jesus died, absorbing what was inflicted upon him without spreading it further. Jesus asked God to forgive us even while he was slowly suffering and dying on the cross. His was an act of pure and ultimate love.
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On this day, let us fully and humbly thank Jesus for becoming one with us all the way from birth to death. And as we try to fathom his terrible suffering and agonizing death, let us kneel in sorrow and gratitude for his incredible forgiveness.
~~~~~
Our reading for tomorrow will be Romans 13:11-14.
1God’s Non-violent response to violence – The Peace Pastor (chron.com) – Marty Troyer
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
Bible verses taken from https://classic.biblegateway.com/
33. LET US PERSIST
THE ‘LET’ OF JESUS IN HOLY WEEK
Maundy Thursday, April 1st
Read Mark 14:32-50.
Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.
Mark 14:42 (NRSV)
Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me.
But let the scriptures be fulfilled.
Mark 14:49 (NRSV)
Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these men go.”
John 18:8 (NRSV)
Yesterday we sadly remembered the inner turmoil and anguish that Jesus felt during his last days. Today we again find that, despite his deep fears and grief, he remains determined to continue. Just after Jesus prays in Gethsemane, he awakens his sleeping disciples to say, “Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.” And we find Judas is there with the crowd to take him away. Jesus could have easily left the disciples sleeping and slipped away in the darkness. Instead, he chose to stay. With every step, he persisted in moving ever closer to the cross.
When the crowd then arrests Jesus, he tells them, “Day after day I was in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. But let the scriptures be fulfilled.” Jesus knew that terrible pain and suffering were to come, but he persisted in remaining true to his deeper purpose.
In John’s writing of Jesus’s arrest, he includes a brief conversation between Jesus and the soldiers. Jesus asks the crowd whom they are looking for, and when they reply, “Jesus of Nazareth,” Jesus responds, “I am he.” He then admonishes them to let his friends go. Jesus persisted in taking full responsibility and by keeping his words, “I did not lose a single one of those whom you gave me,” in his prayer to God moments earlier (John 17:12).
The Merriam- Webster definition of ‘persist’ includes two interesting perspectives: to go on resolutely or stubbornly in spite of opposition, importunity, or warning; (and) to remain unchanged or fixed in a specified character, condition, or position.
It seems to me that Jesus was able to “go on resolutely… in spite of” because he “remained unchanged in character…” Jesus was determined to continue because he could do no less. Jesus was able to remain courageous and faithful, hold true to his purpose and mission, take sole responsibility for the safety of his disciples, and continue this way until his death, because he held fast to his identity in God. To do anything less than remaining who he was, knowing what he stood for, and living (and dying) with integrity of the character of God, was not an option for Jesus.
There have been other faithful martyrs who persisted in living a life of steadfast faith. Even as they faced death, these courageous people never wavered from their integrity and purpose in God. They lost their lives, but they never lost their identity. That is a challenging but worthy invitation for us today. May we become so deeply grounded in God that nothing can shake our foundation. May our lives exemplify our integrity as beloved children of God. May we trust so deeply in God’s loving salvation that we have no need to fear even death.
~~~~~
May we let Christ Jesus become so centered within us that we begin to truly live with his identity, integrity, and persistence.
~~~~~
Our reading for tomorrow (Good Friday) will be Matthew 27:20-50.
Photo by Carolina Pimenta on Unsplash
Bible verses found at https://classic.biblegateway.com/
32. LET THIS CUP PASS FROM ME…
THE ‘LET’ OF JESUS IN HOLY WEEK
Wednesday, March 31st
Read Matthew 26:36-39.
And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed,
“My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.”
Matthew 26:39 (NRSV)
Have you had times in life when you had to put on your “brave face”? Those times when you were worried, grieved, or fearful – but you knew it would do no good to let others see that you were?
I have had a few of those moments. I was a resident advisor in my college dormitory during a winter blizzard that left us without heat or water. I tried to display positivity while we manually cleaned out toilets and shivered from the cold. Another time, I smiled and waved to my preschool daughter as she was taken away for minor surgery. And a few years ago, I cheerfully chatted as the infusion nurse started my IV of chemotherapy for the first time. Each time, my outer countenance appeared peaceful, confident, serene. My inner soul? Not so much. In my private moments, personal prayers, and sleepless nights, I let my worries surface, my tears flow, my heart ache, and my fears reign.
Yet none of these moments come close to what Jesus had to face…
In yesterday’s reflection, Jesus’s countenance seemed peaceful and calm as he spoke his loving words of assurance to his disciples. Today, we see a different side to him in the Garden of Gethsemane. His human anguish is very real and raw. I feel SO sad to witness his doubt and agony – to see the inner struggle beneath his brave face. But this moment also deeply impacts and blesses me. For I begin to understand how terrible this was for him, how completely he loved God and all of us, and how he chose to do what would bless the world despite his great inner turmoil.
Our invitation for today is to remember that Jesus was human like us… to try to fathom how desperately he asked God to let this cup pass from him… to be deeply grateful that he endured everything anyway, while trusting God to make good come from it all.
~~~~~
May we never forget and always be grateful for the human suffering and anguish Jesus felt, for we know that in him, God was truly one of us.
~~~~~
Our reading for tomorrow will be Mark 14:32-50.
Photo by Joel Swick on Unsplash
Bible verses taken from BibleGateway.com
31. DO NOT LET OUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED
THE ‘LET’ OF JESUS IN HOLY WEEK
Tuesday, March 30th
Read John 14:1-27.
Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.
John 14:1 (NRSV)
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.
John 14:27 (NRSV)
I cannot imagine such a love as this. Even as he is aware of all the pain and suffering he would soon endure, Jesus spends time with his disciples this way: sharing his love, encouragement, instruction, and hope-filled promises. He assures them of all the reasons they should not let their hearts be troubled. What a beautiful gift this is for us, too. Do not Let our hearts be troubled is our invitation for today.
Aren’t his words the greatest gift of our faith? His words give us our reason for hope, peace, and even joy in the midst of our worldly cares and hardships…
~ In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also (verses 2-3). Even as I find peace and hope in God for my everyday losses and resurrections, I am always grateful to hold this promise of an eternity that will be even better than I can fathom.
~ I am the way, and the truth, and the life (verse 6). When my world is muddled and murky, I am blessed to pray, “I have no idea what I am doing or where I am going. But you are enough, Jesus. Guide me through this time. I put my trust in you.”
~ The one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these… (verse 12). Jesus calls me to serve others in love, but he also empowers me to do more than I can imagine, more than I could ever do on my own, especially when I team with others. Because of him, I can live and love abundantly.
~ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth… he abides in you and he will be in you… the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you (verses 16-17). When I wonder about the meaning of my life, whether I am doing what I am here to do, if my thoughts, words, and actions are pleasing to God, Jesus gives me the Spirit to show me all I need to know and be and do.
~ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you (verse 27). I find my peace because Jesus gives it to me. Freely. Generously. Constantly.
Through Jesus, we have the promises of God here with us now, as well as the hope of a better life to come. We have the intercession and wisdom of the Spirit for every moment. We have the power of Christ to live a life of abundant love. We have the confidence that flows from trusting the One who is our companion, guide, power, strength, source of hope and peace. Every day. Forever.
We have Jesus himself, who knows our earthly sorrows and pain because he has already experienced them. When we face our most difficult hour, we have his friendship with us, his strength and assurance for each moment, the truth of his love and life, and always his promise of a better ending.
Do not let our hearts be troubled.
~~~~~
May we not let our hearts be troubled, for we can be certain that Jesus’s words and promises are true and trustworthy – because he needed to fully trust them himself.
~~~~~
Our reading for tomorrow will be Matthew 26:36-39.
Photo by Karen, Hurricane, WV
Bible verses found at BibleGateway.com
30. LET HER ALONE
THE ‘LET’ OF JESUS IN HOLY WEEK
Monday, March 29th
Read Mark 14:1-9.
But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me.
Mark 14:6
“Why was the ointment wasted in this way?” the disciples asked. While they were sharing a meal with Jesus, a grateful woman came to him with a jar of costly ointment, broke it open, and lovingly poured it on his head. Of course, some of those gathered around the table immediately questioned her extravagant actions! The ointment was expensive, and Jesus clearly wanted to help the poor and feed the hungry. The ointment could have been sold and the money given to the poor. From what we know of Jesus’s life and teaching, I would ask the same question!
What might we learn from this short passage? First, Jesus tells his friends to let her alone, which reminds us that we are not to judge or criticize others. He goes on to say that she has performed a good service for him; she has anointed him ahead of time for his burial. In this, we are reminded to refrain from making assumptions and to be mindful that there is usually more to the story than we observe. Finally, even as Jesus held his deep concern for the poor, perhaps he knew that her need to serve him was the greater need in that moment. We are reminded that Jesus knows our greatest needs more than we do.
Today, our spiritual invitation is to Let her alone – but with a different perspective.
Let’s imagine that Jesus is telling us to let ourselves alone. We can be our toughest critics at times, can’t we? Yes, we are imperfect, often broken, but we are always beloved, just as this woman was. When we have failed in some way, we are invited to repent (in order to heal and grow), but we need not remain critical of ourselves. We can be grateful to be forgiven as we strive to do better. When we make mistakes, instead of assuming all is lost, we can trust that God will bring a deeper meaning and perhaps even greater good from them. There will always be more to our story. And when we feel helpless to address the great needs of our world, we can let God use what we can do – our small acts of lovingkindness – to make more of an impact than we might imagine.
~~~~~
Today, let’s walk as beloved children of God, doing the best we can with what we can, trusting that Jesus is using us for good in all things. God will guide, forgive, and love us through each moment. We can learn to let ourselves alone – because we know that God won’t!
~~~~~
Our reading for tomorrow will be John 14:1-27.
Photo by Oshin Khandelwal on Unsplash
Bible verses found at BibleGateway.com
29. LET US BE JOYFUL
THE ‘LET’ OF JESUS IN HOLY WEEK
March 28th (PALM SUNDAY)
Read Luke 19:35-42.
But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy.
Psalm 5:11 (NRSV)
Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
Psalm 51:8 (NRSV)
But let the righteous be joyful; let them exult before God; let them be jubilant with joy.
Psalm 68:3 (NRSV)
As we enter into Holy Week, our inspiration focuses on the Lets of Jesus. We will look at the incredible ways Jesus let God’s will be done – as he approached the cross of Good Friday.
The events of Palm Sunday are perplexing, aren’t they? We begin to envision this day as one of great joy and victory for this lowly king, as the people welcoming his entry into Jerusalem praise him with palm branches and strewn cloaks. Then we remember that Jesus knows the rest of the story. He has already told his followers several times what was to come. And in verses 41-42, Jesus weeps over Jerusalem, for he sees how the people are missing his purpose and the “things that make for peace.” This day encompasses so much of what is in store for us this week – as we move between joy and sorrow, praise and lament, hope and despair.
But on this day, Jesus chooses to let the people be joyful. Jesus accepts the joy of his triumphal entry even as he knows that terrible days are coming. Sometimes I wonder if this day was a gift for him, as saw how the grateful crowd had been touched by his love, his teaching, his healing; their adoration could confirm that his life had been worthwhile, that he had blessed God and done all he could. And yet, knowing Jesus, we understand that this procession was not about his glory or recognition, but about giving his people a time to hope, to be joyful, and to celebrate. He brought them joy and he received their joy during this one momentous occasion. He let them be joyful.
Jesus does the same for us today. He wants to give us us an abiding joy for all of life. Jesus promised his disciples – and he promises us – his constant companionship and the joy that comes from our relationship with him:
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. ~ John 15:9-11 (NRSV)
We know what the future days hold for Jesus. But in this present moment, may we find joy and gratitude for all he has done in our hearts and lives. We do not know everything our future holds. But we do know that Jesus will remain with us, share his love, and bring our joy. Let us be joyful!
~~~~~
May our praises ring out today, as we stand in the presence of Christ – the One who brings our joy, shares our joy, and is our reason for joy – today and every day.
~~~~~
Our reading for tomorrow will be Mark 14:1-9.
Photo by Levi Hernández on Unsplash
Bible verses found at https://classic.biblegateway.com
28. LET US HOLD FAST TO OUR CONFESSION
THE ‘LET’ OF LENT – Friday, March 26th
Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens,
Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.
Hebrews 4:14 (NRSV)
Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering,
for he who has promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:23 (NRSV)
“When the going gets tough, the tough get going…”*
This well-known expression has been said during challenging times to inspire and encourage people to keep trying, to not give up, and to remain tough. At the time this letter to the Hebrew people was written, Jewish Christians were being badly persecuted for their faith; the going WAS incredibly tough. But instead of imploring them to remain tough and keep up the fight, here the writer encourages the Hebrews to hold fast to their confession.
In fact, earlier in chapter 4, he is calling the people to keep the practice of sabbath rest – to cease from their labors and enter into the rest of God. He reminds them that the practice of sabbath rest is a sample of the eternal rest in the goodness of God they will enjoy one day. These are great words of comfort and hope for those who were facing hardship, persecution, and even death because of their faith.
When do we need to hold fast to our confession? I find it easy to confess my faith through my written or spoken words when life is good, when I am among like-minded people, when blessings abound. But if trials come, or my faith and integrity are challenged, or if I were to be criticized or threatened (as the Hebrews were), I need to hold fast to that confession. I must cling to my faith as my stronghold and rest in the goodness of God.
Imagine ourselves floundering in a sea of trouble. We may thrash, yell, swim, tread water, fall below the surface, gulp for air, struggle, become exhausted. Jesus offers us his life-saving help, reaching out and calling us to take his hand. As soon as we take hold, we can stop floundering and rest. We allow Jesus to pull us closer, out of the waters, into his arms. Every morning during a particularly difficult time in my life, I sat on the edge of my bed, held out my hand, and asked Jesus to hold it and go with me through the day. That ‘holding fast’ helped me to cope and to hope.
If we read on in chapter 4, we are assured that we can come with boldness to the One who has ‘passed through the heavens’ and has experienced and endured as much or more than we ever will. We can rest in the One who sympathizes with our weaknesses and showers upon us mercy and grace to help in (our) time of need. Christ Jesus knows and understands our struggles very well. And he reaches out his hand and invites us to hold it fast.
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May we hold fast to our confession of everything we know of Jesus and need of him – especially our love for him, and his for us. He who has promised is faithful. In him, we have our stronghold for every trial.
~~~~~
There will be a daily devotional for all of Holy Week. Our reading for Palm Sunday will be Luke 19:35-42.
*The original quote has been attributed to several people, including John F. Kennedy, Joseph Kennedy, and Knute Rockne.
Photo by Roan Lavery on Unsplash
Bible verses found at https://classic.biblegateway.com
27. LET US LOVE
THE ‘LET’ OF LENT – Thursday, March 25th
Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.
1 John 3:18 (NSRV)
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God;
everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
1 John 4:7 (NRSV)
Let all that you do be done in love.
1 Corinthians 16:14 (NRSV)
Very early in our relationship, I knew I had deep feelings for Jim but I was nervous about sharing them with him, wondering how he would react. But one day I was overwhelmed with affection, and I asked him, “Is it okay if I love you a little bit?”
Our spiritual invitation today is to Let us love. We are called to love others with an agape love, a love that is unconcerned with the self and concerned with the greatest good of another. Agape isn’t born just out of emotions, feelings, familiarity, or attraction, but from the will and as a choice. Agape requires faithfulness, commitment, and sacrifice without expecting anything in return.1
Maybe the secret to loving greatly is by loving in little bits. Jesus loved the world, but most often he reached out with love to one person at a time. I found some thoughts on agape love that speak to this idea of loving in small ways…
~ “Agape’s object is always the concrete individual, not some abstraction called humanity. Love of humanity does not surprise you with inconvenient demands. You never find humanity on your doorstep, stinking and begging.” ― Peter Kreeft, ‘Love’, ‘Fundamentals of the Faith: Essays in Christian Apologetics’, 1988.
Isn’t this so true? Oh, we can sincerely pray for, care about, and suffer with all of humanity. But loving the individual is more difficult, more demanding of us. We grieve for the two million people worldwide who have died from this pandemic, but our grief becomes raw when we hear the personal stories of victims or lose a loved one ourselves. We donate to World Hunger, but hesitate to feed the man on the street corner. I speak and write to support LGTBQ students, but I hesitate to offer a much-needed support group for them. Loving others on a personal level requires more of us.
~ “Just as God, above all, is free of every need and self-interest, the spiritual man who has the Spirit struggles and becomes perfected in the love according to Christ, love that is delivered of all need and self-interest.” ― John Romanides.
Loving generously comes easily when we hope to be loved in return. Our loving acts may even be an effort to persuade someone to like us or do something for us. When we love others with agape love, we love with no expectation, no self-interest. We then love better, because we can love with the right amount of love to make good differences in the lives of others. We love best when we can reach out but also know when to leave alone. Help but not enable. Care but not smother. Raise up and let go. We love with a selfless love that is not about us, but genuinely about the good of others.
“Agape doesn’t love somebody because they’re worthy. Agape makes them worthy by the strength and power of its love. Agape doesn’t love somebody because they’re beautiful. Agape loves in such a way that it makes them beautiful.” ― Rob Bell.
There are people we find so easy to love, and there are those we find difficult to love, even a little bit. We are called to love the undeserving, the difficult, the enemy, the one who hates us. These are the ones we try to convince ourselves, “don’t even matter to us.” They matter to God. They matter to God as much as we matter to God. We learn to love them with agape love, when we realize that we are “little bits” greatly loved by God, too. God’s love is what makes us worthy and beautiful. Sharing God’s love will offer the same for others.
~~~~~
May we remember all the ways Jesus has loved us greatly, by loving us with every little bit. May we then share that love with everyone – individually, selflessly, and graciously.
~~~~~
Our reading for tomorrow will be Hebrews 4:14 and 10:23.
1What Does Agape Love Really Mean in the Bible? (christianity.com)
Quotes found at 30+ Best Agape Love Quotes About Unconditional Love by Kidadl
Bible verses found at https://classic.biblegateway.com
Simply Soul Searching 