Judging and loving
Dear Sisters,
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud." 1 Corinthians 13:3
The love of Christ is so beautiful. I am so often amazed when I ponder what He did at the cross. I believe that when we get to Heaven we will be in awe at what He left to come and live here as one of us. And then to give up His life in one of the most gruesome deaths, separated for the first time from His Father, that we might live. That we might live! Words cannot express what our God has done for us. Awesome, Awesome Love.
It is this love that motivates me like no other. For when I sit with Him in the early morning hour and read His Beautiful Love Letter to us in His Living Word, I am again refreshed, and inspired, and motivated by the deep, deep love of God the Father in Jesus Christ our LORD. Over and over I ask that I might only do His Will. That His love might shine, and that others might be drawn to Him through me. How I pray that my prayers and my praise to Him might be a sweet incense rising up to His Throne of Grace.
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud." 1 Corinthians 13:3
The love of Christ is so beautiful. I am so often amazed when I ponder what He did at the cross. I believe that when we get to Heaven we will be in awe at what He left to come and live here as one of us. And then to give up His life in one of the most gruesome deaths, separated for the first time from His Father, that we might live. That we might live! Words cannot express what our God has done for us. Awesome, Awesome Love.
It is this love that motivates me like no other. For when I sit with Him in the early morning hour and read His Beautiful Love Letter to us in His Living Word, I am again refreshed, and inspired, and motivated by the deep, deep love of God the Father in Jesus Christ our LORD. Over and over I ask that I might only do His Will. That His love might shine, and that others might be drawn to Him through me. How I pray that my prayers and my praise to Him might be a sweet incense rising up to His Throne of Grace.
Around me I see so much pain. I see men and women spending more money than is made, and
their families suffering from it. I see many women working so hard outside their homes most of
the day, and their children struggling oftentimes alone. I see people spending time and money
on the words and worth of this world, while spending little time with The Word who owns the
world. One of the saddest things to me, though, is when I see other Christians hurt other
Christians, rather than praying for them and being ready to help them in their struggles in many
of these areas. For no matter if that Christian is not doing what I think is best for her family, she
is still an important part of the Body of Christ. And the LORD loves His Child. He has called her.
He has chosen her. Just as He has chosen and called me. He is her LORD, and He will lead her.
For He is the Head of His Body. We are equal members serving The Head. So I am His Servant
and Her Servant. I need to be praying for each person that He brings before me. For they are not
brought before me that I might think that "I am doing better, and they will surely suffer for their
decisions." No, my thoughts should be prayers which pray, "Oh, LORD, have mercy on your
daughter and lead her in Your path for Your glory, just as you have mercifully led me through
the very same thing. Show me how to help her, LORD. Let your love shine in me that she might
be drawn to You, and may Your Will be accomplished in her life."
The fingernail "soothing" the thigh, so to speak, to help the thigh heal and follow the Head. For we are all One Body. And just as my fingernail would not dig into my thigh on purpose over and over if my thigh was bruised and hurting, so I would not purposely hurt my Sister in Christ who is bruised and hurting. A bruise that perhaps I can see getting worse and worse, but she cannot. I should pray and pray for her. I should seek to encourage her and edify her. I should pray to be ready to help her when God sees fit, and in His perfect Timing. For so often His Timing is not my timing, so I need to be tuned in to Him.
This is a small example of what I am trying to say. This past weekend my husband went into our freezer in the refrigerator. It was over stuffed and had caused the refrigerator to not operate correctly. As usual my overpacking had got me into trouble. He told me that he was going to kindly just clean it out while not saying a thing. What a beautiful and quiet job he did. Oh, how that motivated me! More than when he gets frustrated with me and tells me over and over what I am doing wrong.
Why do I mention all of this? Because the Body of Christ is the most awesome presence of His Love on this planet, when we are walking in Him. Awesome, Awesome Love that is spoken of in 1 Corinthians 13. A love that lays down its life and what it thinks is right, so that another might live...when they least deserve it. Just as He did for us through another part of His Body when we least deserved it. For He is in us. Awesome, Awesome Love. Oh, may that love pour through me to the lost and hurting around me that they might drawn to Him! For the only boasting that I can do is the Cross of Christ. If there is any good in me, any thing that I am doing "right," it is because of Christ Jesus my LORD and what He did at the cross for me. For you. He laid down His life that others might live. And now I have the privilege of laying down my life through Him that others might live. It is only possible through Awesome, Awesome Love.
The fingernail "soothing" the thigh, so to speak, to help the thigh heal and follow the Head. For we are all One Body. And just as my fingernail would not dig into my thigh on purpose over and over if my thigh was bruised and hurting, so I would not purposely hurt my Sister in Christ who is bruised and hurting. A bruise that perhaps I can see getting worse and worse, but she cannot. I should pray and pray for her. I should seek to encourage her and edify her. I should pray to be ready to help her when God sees fit, and in His perfect Timing. For so often His Timing is not my timing, so I need to be tuned in to Him.
This is a small example of what I am trying to say. This past weekend my husband went into our freezer in the refrigerator. It was over stuffed and had caused the refrigerator to not operate correctly. As usual my overpacking had got me into trouble. He told me that he was going to kindly just clean it out while not saying a thing. What a beautiful and quiet job he did. Oh, how that motivated me! More than when he gets frustrated with me and tells me over and over what I am doing wrong.
Why do I mention all of this? Because the Body of Christ is the most awesome presence of His Love on this planet, when we are walking in Him. Awesome, Awesome Love that is spoken of in 1 Corinthians 13. A love that lays down its life and what it thinks is right, so that another might live...when they least deserve it. Just as He did for us through another part of His Body when we least deserved it. For He is in us. Awesome, Awesome Love. Oh, may that love pour through me to the lost and hurting around me that they might drawn to Him! For the only boasting that I can do is the Cross of Christ. If there is any good in me, any thing that I am doing "right," it is because of Christ Jesus my LORD and what He did at the cross for me. For you. He laid down His life that others might live. And now I have the privilege of laying down my life through Him that others might live. It is only possible through Awesome, Awesome Love.
Love,
Laine
Comments
Post a Comment