Tag: love

2 Corinthians 5:11-17

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year CLeave a comment
            “We are ruled by Christ’s love for us.  We are certain that if one person died for everyone else, then all of us have died.  And Christ did die for all of us.  He died so we would no longer live for ourselves, but for the one who died and was raised to life for us.  We are careful not to judge people by what they seem to be, though we once judged Christ in that way.  Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person.  The past is forgotten, and everything is new” (CEV).
 
            Simple observation:  The Christian’s rule of life is to be love.  Love is the distinguishing mark of the believer in Jesus Christ.  A person filled and ruled by Christ’s love for him/her sees all of life in a new and different way.  Positive confidence and optimism replace negative skepticism and pessimism; grace takes over and trumps the old judgmental spirit; living in the present state and being attentive and mindful of others negates living in the past and holding onto old hurts and animosities.
 
            The person who does not change, refuses transformation of heart, and eschews the renovation of the mind is not being ruled by Christ’s love.  But the person who allows the love of God in Christ through the cross to thaw his/her cold heart into a new white hot passionate life in the Spirit is experiencing the resurrected existence to which we have been called.
 
            Try this today:  monitor your words and actions.  At the end of the day, ask yourself:  Were my words and actions done in love?  What percentage of those words and actions were loving and unloving?  Was I compelled by Christ’s love, or by the love of self?  How can I bring the value of love to be more operative in my behavior and speech?  Who will I share my plan with?
 

 

            Loving God, you demonstrated your love for us through the cross of Jesus.  May my life be so filled with grace that what comes out of my mouth and what is done in my behavior is consistently characterized by love.  Amen.

1 Corinthians 14:1-12

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year CLeave a comment
            Sometimes we need to look at a section of Scripture and see its big picture message, not losing sight of the forest for the trees.  At first glance, it might be tempting to question whether tongues and prophecy are for today, or not.  But, please keep in mind that this was not Paul’s driving concern when he wrote to the Corinthians.  Paul wanted the Corinthians, who were into puffing themselves up like peacocks so that others would admire their gifts and abilities, to get a basic important message which is found at the beginning and the end of our New Testament lesson for today:  “Pursue love…. strive to excel in building up the church.”
 
            There you have it.  If we miss this, we have lost sight of God’s Word to us.  We are not to be pre-occupied with tongues and prophecy, but to keep thinking about how we show love to all our brothers and sisters in Christ and to put some significant effort into doing our part to build up others.  Love and encouragement are focused toward other people, and are not inwardly directed.  God has gifted us for love and the building up of the church.  I am a teacher of God’s Word.  It would be really weird if I got up Sunday morning, got dressed, looked in the mirror and taught at myself, then when back to bed dreaming about what a great teacher I am.  Spiritual gifts are meant to be unpacked for the church.
 
            One of the great temptations of humanity is to finagle our efforts so that other people will notice and give props to our wonderful work.  Indeed, we can write Facebook messages to garner as many “likes” as we can get; post things on Twitter and our favorite blogs hoping to look smart and funny in the eyes of a community of people we may not even know personally; and, to withhold our love to actual people right in front our faces because they may not give to us the attention we crave.
 
Perhaps with Lent coming in just a few weeks, you might want to consider a fast from social media in order to better connect with people within your direct sphere of human touch and influence.  Or maybe ask someone close to you what they believe your primary spiritual gifts are, with the expressed intention of using the information to explore fresh avenues of love and service to others.  Whatever you do, pursue love and excel in building up the church.
 

 

Loving God, you have graciously gifted us all for love and service.  May I continually see your love expressed to me through Jesus Christ so that I will be always inspired to pass on that same love to others for whom you also love.  Amen.

Ruth 4:18-22

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment


            These few verses tucked away in the Old Testament might seem an odd choice for the lectionary.  After all, what could possibly be ‘gleaned’ from a genealogy?  One of the things I love about Holy Scripture is that, even in the unlikeliest places, it drips of grace throughout all of its contents.  
             Ruth was from the country of Moab – a place outside of Israel that did not worship Yahweh.  Ruth had married a Jewish man, but was widowed at a relatively young age.  She firmly decided to go to Israel with her mother-in-law, Naomi, who was originally from Bethlehem.  Since both were widows, they were poor and dependent upon the mercy of relatives.  In a wonderful story of redemption and love, Ruth is noticed by Boaz and the narrative concludes with the two of them being married.  Ruth, from a pagan land, goes from near destitution to wealth, and from being invisible in the world to somebody we know and remember several millennia later.
             The genealogical postscript we have informs us that King David’s great grandparents are Ruth and Boaz.  The line does not end there but goes directly to the birth of Jesus Christ.  Ruth, the widowed woman from a non-descript family outside of Israel ends up being a prominent mother in the most significant blood line of all time. 
             We, too, were once outside of God.  But we have been brought near through the blood of Jesus.  Grace takes what is seemingly far-fetched and turns it into a reality.  Mercy looks at the improbable and the impossible and laughs in its face.  I can only imagine the immense gratitude and joy Ruth had in her life as she experienced such amazing grace as to be given attention and included in the life of the one true God.  Let us be mindful and give time today to reflect on this very same God who delights in showing mercy and express our praise to him with heartfelt thanksgiving.
             Merciful God, there is no god like you – giving grace where it is needed.  Thank you for saving me and bringing me into the life that is truly life through Jesus Christ my Lord.  Amen.

Romans 12:17-21; 13:8-10

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
            Not everybody is likable.  We all have others that drive us crazy on the inside with their annoying habits or ungodly ways of life.  But sometimes we might experience much more than being irritated.  Raging vitriol that results in verbal persecution; becoming the targets of evil intent; and, in some cases, finding ourselves victims of violence done to us or a loved one can stretch our Christian sensibilities to their maximum.  It is understandable that in such cases we would be upset, angry, in grief, and desire justice.
 
As we reflect back on Reformation Day and the great truth that we are justified apart from any work of our own but by grace alone through faith, this helps to give understanding as to why we do not take vengeance into our own hands.  We are clearly exhorted in this passage of Holy Scripture to “repay no one evil for evil” because “vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”  If justification is a work of God to rescue and redeem sinners from their plight, then wrath is also a work of God.  Just as to be justified is initiated and made possible through Christ by faith, so vengeance belongs to God, as well.  Our part in the whole affair is to trust God that he will take care of judging the world.  Judgment is way above our pay grade.
 
What is within our purview is showing love, even to those whom we consider enemies.  If we are to love our neighbors as ourselves, then we will leave plenty of room for God to do what God does best:  either show mercy to sinners; or, execute judgment upon them.  It is really all his business what he does with his creatures.  Our business is coming under the lordship of Christ and allowing God’s new creation to work itself out through us.  We are to work for the kind of justice that provides others with what they need, not what they deserve.  The world cannot become a better place if we keep insisting on playing judge, jury, and executioner.  Sometimes the best way to show love is to sincerely pray for the person for whom we have such difficulty loving.  Who do you need to love today?
 

 

Just and merciful God, you are the rightful Judge of all the earth.  Help me to trust in you to the degree that I can give room for you to do whatever you want to do in others’ lives.  I pray you will grace many people with the repentance that leads to new life in Jesus.  Amen.