Sunday, August 18, 2013

The Love Story

Good morning to all of this rainy Sunday in Georgia. It has been raining for 3 days and although the temperature hovers around the mid-70's because it is so rainy it seems colder. Waine and I are in Thomaston this weekend and he spent the greater part of yesterday moving more things from Atlanta to Thomaston. When we first moved to Thomaston, I resisted putting the Atlanta house on the market, because of "what ifs"--what if Thomaston does not work out, what if we have to move back to Atlanta?--One day I was convicted because God says you cannot take hold of the plow of the future looking backwards so I agreed to put our Atlanta house on the market. The transition is a little painful for me because we spent so much of our 26 years together in that house. All of our grandchildren were born while we lived at 3151 Rilman Road; Aleron came of age at 3151 Rilman Road. So many beautiful memories and another chapter begins.
 
I am continuing my journey in 1 John chapter 4 verses 1 - 21, "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,  but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.  You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.  
 
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.  This is how we know that we live in Him and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.  And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.  There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.  We love because He first loved us.  Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And He has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister." Amen and may the Lord add a  blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.
 
What a POWERFUL MESSAGE about the love of God for us. Most of the time I focus on why I love God--I really can't help myself. Knowing Him completes me. I could not imagine life without God through Christ. It HIT me today reading this passage that God also NEEDS to love me! He is programmed to love me. He is not complete until He can love me--that's why we were created--we are the vessels to accept His love. Its like a light bulb is not complete -- it cannot do its job-- until it emits light. An electric socket is not complete until it can give you electricity. A jar is not complete until it can hold something. God made us so that we could accept His love. Love is not complete until there is an object that can accept it. Love is made complete in the action of acceptance!!! Wow!  My concept of God is that He needs nothing and yet then why did He create us?? God is self sufficient--He needs nothing to complete Him--I believe this concept with unquestioning faith so why then were we created? I am beginning to understand the nature of Love.  Just like a jar cannot help the need to be filled, Love cannot "help" the need to be given and accepted. Love is an action and as in all actions it has to do something. In the case of Love it has to be given--it cannot be contained. Love seeks to be given and accepted. That is the nature of love. Hallelujah!!  When you are dwelling in the spirit of love you will know it. There are no thoughts of "what-if" or "does not"-- that is to say "what if the person to whom I am sending this love will accept it--what of they reject it? Love doesn't care what the receiver does or does not do--Love just wants to be given.  It is our job as children of God just to give LOVE to Him and then to each other. Love never judges if someone is worthy of the Love--Love just wants to be given. That is the story of Love and of God. He just wants to be given to the creation that was created out of love to accept His love. We complete God--I get it. I am the Love story. You are the love story. He loves us BECAUSE HE CANNOT HELP HIMSELF.
 
It pains God when He cannot give us His love because of SIN. SIN and God cannot exist in the same place so its like Light and Dark--when darkness exits its because Light is not there. Sin closes the path through which God's love travels to us; the bridge that is needed is Christ. If you love your spouse and they are in sin, its your job to share the Good News through words and deeds. If you love your children and they are in sin, then its your job to share the Good News through words and deeds. If you love your friends and they are in sin, then its your job to share the Good News through words and deeds. God loves the world that is in sin and its our job through words and deeds to SHARE this LOVE STORY. Amen and hallelujah!
 
Now may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
 
Stephanie


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