Cyclists have a special relationship with hills. Mainly, we all hate them, but they are inevitable part of our sport. Some cyclists like to go fast on the flats and downhills, but then they don't have the energy for the climbs, so they put it in the lowest gear and just suffer through it. Others will try to maintain the same effort level all the time, so they slow down on the hills but still work just as hard.
The greats though, they're a different breed. They embrace the hills. They work on the downhills and flats, but at a level that they know can be maintained. Something special happens when they get to the hills - they fight to get over them. All the energy they've saved goes into attacking that hill and reaching the summit before they can relax coming back down the other side... and leaving their competitors way behind and out of breath.
Here's the thing though, attacking the hills makes them easier. Your muscles respond and grow to the training and the more you work hard on them, the easier they are to deal with.
James 1: 2 - 4
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that it is the testing of your faith that produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Just like many cyclists, we tend to put a lot of energy into the good times. It's easy to put effort into the times that benefit us and we want to get there quickly. After all it's fun to go fast. Some people are able to maintain the effort level and balance it between the good and bad times. The greats though, they work during times that are easy and fun, but they fight when times get tough.
James reminds us that the trials are coming. He also reminds us that those trials produce the perseverance to continue. The greater our perseverance, the easier those trials are to fight through, even as they get tougher in nature. Don't put so much effort into all the fun stuff in life that you're too exhausted to do anything but struggle during the trials. Work at a level that you know you can maintain and when those trials come, fight to stay in the Word, fight to be faithful in prayer, fight to be faithful to your Savior. It's a guarantee that He is still fighting for you.
Imagine the response in your spouse, children, family, or friends when hard times come and they see you step up your effort and fight for them!
Monday, June 23, 2014
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Living Proof
In Prince Caspian from the Chronicles of Narnia series, we find that the residents of Narnia no longer really believe in Aslan. They've heard the stories, they've seen the historical sites of the battles past down through the generations, but they just don't seem to believe anymore. They're a lot like us, actually. We've got the Bible that is full of evidence that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the stories of His life, and how the early church got started. We even have unfulfilled prophesy of what to look for as the end of times draws near. Like the Narnians though, we're very much a "What have you done for me lately?" Kind of people.
Enter Lucy. Lucy never loses faith in Aslan even though her own brothers and sister consider her quite naive. Some scoff at the idea of Aslan since it has been so long since he has been seen. Others have never heard of him. Peter, Susan, and Edmond, who were there to see him before, are increasingly skeptical that he is still with them. It's an excellent snapshot of our society. Those that have never heard the Truth, those that don't believe it because they haven't seen it themselves, and those that have forgotten the faithfulness of Christ that they had experienced previously.
Little Lucy though never stops believing in Aslan. She reminds herself of his goodness when others would have her doubt. She points others to what he has done along the journey. Even when things point to their imminent destruction, she holds fast to what she knows to be true. She is the constant whisper that keeps others from completely falling away from the belief in Aslan. In a strange twist, when everyone wants to believe that they are on their own, she creates the doubt in their minds that maybe he really is watching and waiting to intervene.
Matthew 5:14 - 16, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to you Father who is in Heaven."
Christian, this is our role in society. In a world that is trying everything it can to remove God from the equation, we are the ones that create doubt in their minds by making them wonder if He really is who He says He is. We point not only to the historical evidence, but also the evidence in our own lives. We tell people about the times when we can reach no other conclusion than that God was working and had His hand in the process. We tell them how He has protected us, guided us, and offered us His tangible grace and mercy. We are the living, breathing, evidence that He is who He says He is and that He is alive and well.
Our story does not end with our salvation, our role changes to become ambassadors for Christ, to point other towards Him. When others reach the end of themselves, we give them hope against hope that He is really who we claim He is. Surely then, it is critical that we conduct ourselves and speak in ways that create that hope instead of skepticism. Being the living proof of God's existence and love is no easy task, and we cannot possibly do it well on our own. We seek Him for and in everything in our lives... and we openly let others see us do it.
Enter Lucy. Lucy never loses faith in Aslan even though her own brothers and sister consider her quite naive. Some scoff at the idea of Aslan since it has been so long since he has been seen. Others have never heard of him. Peter, Susan, and Edmond, who were there to see him before, are increasingly skeptical that he is still with them. It's an excellent snapshot of our society. Those that have never heard the Truth, those that don't believe it because they haven't seen it themselves, and those that have forgotten the faithfulness of Christ that they had experienced previously.
Little Lucy though never stops believing in Aslan. She reminds herself of his goodness when others would have her doubt. She points others to what he has done along the journey. Even when things point to their imminent destruction, she holds fast to what she knows to be true. She is the constant whisper that keeps others from completely falling away from the belief in Aslan. In a strange twist, when everyone wants to believe that they are on their own, she creates the doubt in their minds that maybe he really is watching and waiting to intervene.
Matthew 5:14 - 16, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to you Father who is in Heaven."
Christian, this is our role in society. In a world that is trying everything it can to remove God from the equation, we are the ones that create doubt in their minds by making them wonder if He really is who He says He is. We point not only to the historical evidence, but also the evidence in our own lives. We tell people about the times when we can reach no other conclusion than that God was working and had His hand in the process. We tell them how He has protected us, guided us, and offered us His tangible grace and mercy. We are the living, breathing, evidence that He is who He says He is and that He is alive and well.
Our story does not end with our salvation, our role changes to become ambassadors for Christ, to point other towards Him. When others reach the end of themselves, we give them hope against hope that He is really who we claim He is. Surely then, it is critical that we conduct ourselves and speak in ways that create that hope instead of skepticism. Being the living proof of God's existence and love is no easy task, and we cannot possibly do it well on our own. We seek Him for and in everything in our lives... and we openly let others see us do it.
Friday, June 6, 2014
Hey Jealousy
Remember that song by the Gin Blossoms? Yeah, they might have found a way to turn jealousy into something beneficial for them by making money on it, but for those of us that have been around uncontrollably jealous people, it's not pleasant. I had the honor of having a conversation with the sister of a very special young lady in my life who suggested that I share the thoughts from it with you. I think it's a great idea, so here we go!
In the interest of keeping everyone happy, I took the names out.
One thing to note as you read is that in Galatians 5:16 - 26, Paul lists specific signs that we are living in the flesh and includes jealousy. Note the contrast to the fruits of the Spirit that he tells us about after that.
Your sister and I were talking through your questions about jealousy last night, and while I'm sure she has responded to you, I thought I would follow up as well.
For starters, being jealous can have several possible meanings in this scenario - 1) a suspicion of faithfulness in the relationship, 2) fiercely protecting an object (or in this case, person), or 3) the fear of losing the relationship (which really isn't jealousy, but we'll get there soon enough).
Obviously, the first thing to consider is what is at at the source of those feelings, but there are significant flaws no matter which form he is feeling right now. In the case of suspicion, he doesn't trust you, which is never a good foundation for a relationship. If he's looking at you as an object that he must protect, well, there is the issue that he sees you as an object and not an intelligent, rational individual who, oh by the way, happens to be a daughter of the One True God and is under His protection. If it's a fear of losing the relationship, his hope is misplaced and the relationship itself becomes his idol or god. It places you in an impossible situation where you are on such a high pedestal of expectations, that you will either crumble under the weight of them or he will be in a constant state of disappointment.
Okay, I feel like I'm doing a lot of guy bashing, and while we guys deserve it, there's always hope for redemption. In any of these situations, they come apart because of disappointment, and disappointment always comes from misplaced hope. Whether his hope is in the relationship, the way you make him feel, or in his ability to make it all work from sheer will power, it's not where it needs to be. From talking with your sister, I am certain you know this already, but his hope needs to be placed in Christ.
One thing that we talk about a lot is how difficult it is for people that have not been humbled to the point that they have no choice but to trust God for the next day, step, or even breath to know what it means to be at the end of yourself. That's where God does His best work because we have nothing left to fight against Him with. Then we realize that He'll catch us no matter what ridiculous decisions got us to that place. It's a challenge for folks that do get it, because it's impossible for us to articulate in words how that experience can make the change.
I would encourage you to remember that it's not your job to change him, it's God's. When a person changes to meet the expectations of the guy/gal they want to be with, it builds resentment, but when God changes a heart, if builds gratitude. I would also encourage you to pray specifically for him if you're not already (but I'd bet that you are). Be straight with God and don't worry about sounding eloquent. Some of the most beneficial time in prayer that I've spent are times that I've admitted to God that I don't like what He's doing, but that I still trust Him and will praise Him regardless of the circumstance.
One of the things that your sister and I have done pretty much since our first date is to start our day with prayer. I text her a short prayer for us before I even say good morning. It just gets us focused where we need to be for the day. We also pray when we're together, even if it's just a real short "Thank You for having a couple of hours to spend together." I know that it's not easy to set the expectation that prayer is just simply part of what your relationship is going to include, but I know that for both your sister and I, knowing that relationship is being intentionally focused on Christ calms a lot of fears for both of us.
In the interest of keeping everyone happy, I took the names out.
One thing to note as you read is that in Galatians 5:16 - 26, Paul lists specific signs that we are living in the flesh and includes jealousy. Note the contrast to the fruits of the Spirit that he tells us about after that.
Your sister and I were talking through your questions about jealousy last night, and while I'm sure she has responded to you, I thought I would follow up as well.
For starters, being jealous can have several possible meanings in this scenario - 1) a suspicion of faithfulness in the relationship, 2) fiercely protecting an object (or in this case, person), or 3) the fear of losing the relationship (which really isn't jealousy, but we'll get there soon enough).
Obviously, the first thing to consider is what is at at the source of those feelings, but there are significant flaws no matter which form he is feeling right now. In the case of suspicion, he doesn't trust you, which is never a good foundation for a relationship. If he's looking at you as an object that he must protect, well, there is the issue that he sees you as an object and not an intelligent, rational individual who, oh by the way, happens to be a daughter of the One True God and is under His protection. If it's a fear of losing the relationship, his hope is misplaced and the relationship itself becomes his idol or god. It places you in an impossible situation where you are on such a high pedestal of expectations, that you will either crumble under the weight of them or he will be in a constant state of disappointment.
Okay, I feel like I'm doing a lot of guy bashing, and while we guys deserve it, there's always hope for redemption. In any of these situations, they come apart because of disappointment, and disappointment always comes from misplaced hope. Whether his hope is in the relationship, the way you make him feel, or in his ability to make it all work from sheer will power, it's not where it needs to be. From talking with your sister, I am certain you know this already, but his hope needs to be placed in Christ.
One thing that we talk about a lot is how difficult it is for people that have not been humbled to the point that they have no choice but to trust God for the next day, step, or even breath to know what it means to be at the end of yourself. That's where God does His best work because we have nothing left to fight against Him with. Then we realize that He'll catch us no matter what ridiculous decisions got us to that place. It's a challenge for folks that do get it, because it's impossible for us to articulate in words how that experience can make the change.
I would encourage you to remember that it's not your job to change him, it's God's. When a person changes to meet the expectations of the guy/gal they want to be with, it builds resentment, but when God changes a heart, if builds gratitude. I would also encourage you to pray specifically for him if you're not already (but I'd bet that you are). Be straight with God and don't worry about sounding eloquent. Some of the most beneficial time in prayer that I've spent are times that I've admitted to God that I don't like what He's doing, but that I still trust Him and will praise Him regardless of the circumstance.
One of the things that your sister and I have done pretty much since our first date is to start our day with prayer. I text her a short prayer for us before I even say good morning. It just gets us focused where we need to be for the day. We also pray when we're together, even if it's just a real short "Thank You for having a couple of hours to spend together." I know that it's not easy to set the expectation that prayer is just simply part of what your relationship is going to include, but I know that for both your sister and I, knowing that relationship is being intentionally focused on Christ calms a lot of fears for both of us.
Saturday, May 31, 2014
It's War!
I don't typically use this blog as a rant, but today, I think we have a teachable moment that will benefit us and give us pause for those of us that are parents. The story goes something like this:
David hits Manny. Manny can't hit David back because of the people that are watching him. So Manny goes and says bad things about David to anyone that will listen and by his language, insinuates that he would like to kill David.
Sounds like any typical 5 years olds that you know?
Try adults. Grown men that happen to be professional baseball players. David Price is the ace pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays and Manny Ortiz is the big hitter for the Boston Red Sox. Okay, I get it, a 94 mph fastball hurts when it hits you. Still, Manny has declared that "it's war" between the two of them now. Really, Manny? War? You're seriously going to tell me that because you got a bruise to your body and your ego that you now consider him as an enemy to the point that it would be your goal to kill the man?
David, Manny, you two are allegedly grown ups. Grown ups that get paid millions of dollars to play a game. A game, Manny, not a war. My first issue with your analogy is that it is completely disrespectful to our men and women actually serving. When they get hit, it leaves more than just a bruise, and they might not get to play the next day or even walk again. I have other issues as well. While you're getting paid to play that game, there's a kid about my son's age in the stands with his dad who doesn't get paid millions of dollars that saved for a month to bring his kid out to watch your temper tantrum. That might actually be my son and I. So thanks for being such a great role model in showing my son what is truly important in life. I'll be sure to talk to him about it even though he'll be disappointed in you when he realizes you were wrong.
I'm not saying that you need to toss the ball back to him and turn to the other side so he can hit that one as well, but a little bit of maturity goes a long way. Yes, the media is going to eat up your comments, but we could be talking about you WAY beyond that if your response was more measured. What if you'd picked up the ball, smiled, walked slowly out to the mound to hand David the ball, and patted him on the back before returning to the plate and walking to first? Dude, come on! We'd be talking about you every time someone got mad when they were hit by a pitch!
Look, no matter what we do in life, we have come to expect and even tolerate poor reactions when things don't go our way. But stop for a moment and take a look at the people around you and in your lives. I'd be willing to bet that the ones you gravitate towards are the ones that respond with love in their disappointment. They're approachable in difficult times and help find real and good solutions to move forward.
There is so much really good stuff in I Corinthians 13, but allow me to focus on verse 11 - "When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up my childish ways."
Hey Manny, David, I still believe that you can change. The mistake doesn't define who we are, but we will be remembered by the way we move forward. Society has taught us to remain children though. You're going to have to break through that if you want to show that you're the adult here. An apology goes a long way, but owning up to your part of the wrong and unsolicited forgiveness will go even farther!
Thursday, May 29, 2014
All I Know is that I Don't Know
John 9:25b - "One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see."
For the outsider, man, God is a confusing being. There are plenty of ways that they question the love, faithfulness, or even possibility of Him. How can God let bad things happen to good people? How can God allow natural disasters to happen? How can God be three completely separate beings yet one whole? How can God have always been there? Science is actively trying to find the "God particle". Terrible things happen all over the world at the hands of wicked people. It can be really frustrating to wrap your head around the idea that God is good, yet all of these things happen.
In John 9, Jesus healed a man that had been blind. The Pharisees (my old colleagues) questioned him first, then his parents, who deferred back to their son, who was of age to answer for himself. See, the Pharisees were divided - they couldn't figure out how a sinner could perform a miracle, but clearly He wasn't of God since He did the work on the Sabbath. In a stroke of shear honesty, the man simply says (paraphrased), "I don't know what He is, all I know is that earlier today I was blind, but now I can see."
I don't have answers to those hard questions for you. While theologians can answer some, it is impossible for us to fully know an infinite God this side of heaven. All I can do is point to the evidence in my own life as an example. There are things that were meant for evil that were turned into good. There are choices that I made in faith with no ability in and of myself to make it work out. There are simply points in my life that there is no other explanation for other than there is a loving God who is actively working in my life, and I have seen it in other people's lives as well.
While I do not know what it is like to be totally blind physically, I am very aware of what it is to be spiritually blind. I didn't even know I was blind until Christ opened my eyes. It's frustrating for people that have had this eye opening experience to not be able to say in words what can help you see what we can. It's the experience of Christ doing that work that makes the change. All I can do is point to my life as an example of the amazing work of Christ in the hopes that you will believe it can happen and that real change is possible. Our God has a perspective infinitely larger than any of us could possibly imagine. So what if we just start with the assumption that God really is love, and pray together that He opens our eyes to see the world through His eyes?
I'll end with this paraphrase from C.S. Lewis - "I believe in [Christ] as I believe that the sun has risen. Not only because I see it, but by it I see everything else."
Yes, friends, when God opens your eyes it is so significant that it is like you are seeing for the very first time, and your world will never be the same!
For the outsider, man, God is a confusing being. There are plenty of ways that they question the love, faithfulness, or even possibility of Him. How can God let bad things happen to good people? How can God allow natural disasters to happen? How can God be three completely separate beings yet one whole? How can God have always been there? Science is actively trying to find the "God particle". Terrible things happen all over the world at the hands of wicked people. It can be really frustrating to wrap your head around the idea that God is good, yet all of these things happen.
In John 9, Jesus healed a man that had been blind. The Pharisees (my old colleagues) questioned him first, then his parents, who deferred back to their son, who was of age to answer for himself. See, the Pharisees were divided - they couldn't figure out how a sinner could perform a miracle, but clearly He wasn't of God since He did the work on the Sabbath. In a stroke of shear honesty, the man simply says (paraphrased), "I don't know what He is, all I know is that earlier today I was blind, but now I can see."
I don't have answers to those hard questions for you. While theologians can answer some, it is impossible for us to fully know an infinite God this side of heaven. All I can do is point to the evidence in my own life as an example. There are things that were meant for evil that were turned into good. There are choices that I made in faith with no ability in and of myself to make it work out. There are simply points in my life that there is no other explanation for other than there is a loving God who is actively working in my life, and I have seen it in other people's lives as well.
While I do not know what it is like to be totally blind physically, I am very aware of what it is to be spiritually blind. I didn't even know I was blind until Christ opened my eyes. It's frustrating for people that have had this eye opening experience to not be able to say in words what can help you see what we can. It's the experience of Christ doing that work that makes the change. All I can do is point to my life as an example of the amazing work of Christ in the hopes that you will believe it can happen and that real change is possible. Our God has a perspective infinitely larger than any of us could possibly imagine. So what if we just start with the assumption that God really is love, and pray together that He opens our eyes to see the world through His eyes?
I'll end with this paraphrase from C.S. Lewis - "I believe in [Christ] as I believe that the sun has risen. Not only because I see it, but by it I see everything else."
Yes, friends, when God opens your eyes it is so significant that it is like you are seeing for the very first time, and your world will never be the same!
Monday, May 26, 2014
Bragging Rights
2 Corinthians 10:17 - Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.
2 Corinthians 12:9 - But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.
Bragging - it gets a negative spin, but it's fun! It brings attention and affirmation to ourselves. You just ran your fastest 5k (or your first 5k!), you got a promotion, you're in a relationship with someone you're crazy about, you're part of a new church plant, you're.... you get the idea. We like the boost to our egos when we are affirmed and people "like" our bragging in the form of a status update on Facebook.
Why is boasting so wrong? For starters, it brings attention to us, but if we look at ourselves objectively, there's a much different picture than what we're painting. God gave you the strength and endurance for that personal best, He put the pieces in place for your promotion, He orchestrated the meeting between you and her, it's His church and not yours. Got it? Every good thing comes from God in His grace and mercy. On our own, we're nothing. We're just sinners floundering in a sea of consequences directly tied to our actions. Secondly, your boasting is cause for someone else to become jealous of what you have. Why cause your brother to stumble?
What Paul is trying to get us to see is that the good stuff isn't because of something we did, it's because of what God did. If you're going to brag about it, boast about the way that God's hand was in every part of the process and tell people you had nothing to do with it - because you really didn't! When you boast in Christ and your brother wants what you have, he can have it! As a bonus, you can help him get it. Paul actually tells us to boast in our weakness and I would add failure to that as well. When we talk about ourselves humbly in the reality of our situation, we act as trophies and testimonies to the goodness of our God since we show off that all good things we have are by His hand.
See, like just now, I took a sip of my smoothie and dripped it right down my shirt. Awesome. But that's what I'm good at; making messes. God cleans us up through the redeeming work of Christ. Notice there's no mention of anything I did to earn that. Christ did not say "No one comes to the Father except through me, but I made a couple of exceptions for a few people because they work hard."
Try this for a week - when you're on Facebook and you really want to post something about you, write it in a way that shows off God's goodness. If you can't figure out how to write it, then brag about someone else and boost their ego instead of yours. When you make your life the "Look What Jesus is Doing" show, people will want what you have, and that is worth boasting about!
2 Corinthians 12:9 - But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.
Bragging - it gets a negative spin, but it's fun! It brings attention and affirmation to ourselves. You just ran your fastest 5k (or your first 5k!), you got a promotion, you're in a relationship with someone you're crazy about, you're part of a new church plant, you're.... you get the idea. We like the boost to our egos when we are affirmed and people "like" our bragging in the form of a status update on Facebook.
Why is boasting so wrong? For starters, it brings attention to us, but if we look at ourselves objectively, there's a much different picture than what we're painting. God gave you the strength and endurance for that personal best, He put the pieces in place for your promotion, He orchestrated the meeting between you and her, it's His church and not yours. Got it? Every good thing comes from God in His grace and mercy. On our own, we're nothing. We're just sinners floundering in a sea of consequences directly tied to our actions. Secondly, your boasting is cause for someone else to become jealous of what you have. Why cause your brother to stumble?
What Paul is trying to get us to see is that the good stuff isn't because of something we did, it's because of what God did. If you're going to brag about it, boast about the way that God's hand was in every part of the process and tell people you had nothing to do with it - because you really didn't! When you boast in Christ and your brother wants what you have, he can have it! As a bonus, you can help him get it. Paul actually tells us to boast in our weakness and I would add failure to that as well. When we talk about ourselves humbly in the reality of our situation, we act as trophies and testimonies to the goodness of our God since we show off that all good things we have are by His hand.
See, like just now, I took a sip of my smoothie and dripped it right down my shirt. Awesome. But that's what I'm good at; making messes. God cleans us up through the redeeming work of Christ. Notice there's no mention of anything I did to earn that. Christ did not say "No one comes to the Father except through me, but I made a couple of exceptions for a few people because they work hard."
Try this for a week - when you're on Facebook and you really want to post something about you, write it in a way that shows off God's goodness. If you can't figure out how to write it, then brag about someone else and boost their ego instead of yours. When you make your life the "Look What Jesus is Doing" show, people will want what you have, and that is worth boasting about!
Monday, May 19, 2014
Controlled by Christ
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 - "For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised."
You know, we really had it pretty good before The Fall. Adam and Eve got to walk in the garden with God each day and experience His love in a very tangible way. Of course we all know the story, sin entered the world and separated us from God. No longer do we have the advantage of that very real, physical relationship with our Creator. That doesn't mean that He no longer loves us, and it doesn't mean that He won't find ways to still do that tangibly.
Consider 2 Corinthians 5:14-15. If Christ lives in us and we now live for Him, does that not make us tools available for His use? Certainly He can use us to show His love to others! Sometimes though, our vision of Christ's love is limited. We only have one word for love, but the Greeks had 3: agape (unconditional), phila (brotherly), and eros (romantic). Keep in mind that God is in His very essence, love, and He's the inventor of it. If the Greeks could identify three separate forms, then certainly God's love for us is made up of all of those.
Take agape, the unconditional love of a parent in God the Father. A good parent is willing to do anything to protect their child, including taking the pain on themselves to spare the child. Sound familiar, like God providing a way to take our place? Then there's phila, the brotherly love of our Savior and brother. In that role, it is more of a sense of accountability, counsel, and friendship, marked with the a willingness to back us up no matter what. Finally, there's eros, the love of a romance. This seems to be the easiest to forget and toughest to wrap our minds around. Even so, we're referred to as the bride of Christ, and that is clearly a reference to a romantic form of love. Think of the imagery of a bride and groom becoming one flesh, then consider the way the Spirit lives in you as a part of who you are.
When I considered each of these I thought of the agape love of my mother, the phila love of my brothers and sisters (both biological and those that adopted me), and even the eros love of a special young lady. No matter who they are, they each offer a glimpse of the love of Christ in their own way. We're all broken, so none of them can offer the complete package, nor are any of them perfect in their own role (not that they don't try!), but they do offer insight. I find it encouraging that God uses people in our lives to offer us these hints of what He is about by extending His love through Christ in us. While each of these are satisfying in their own way, the full love of our Father will be so much greater when we can experience it in all its perfection!
You know, we really had it pretty good before The Fall. Adam and Eve got to walk in the garden with God each day and experience His love in a very tangible way. Of course we all know the story, sin entered the world and separated us from God. No longer do we have the advantage of that very real, physical relationship with our Creator. That doesn't mean that He no longer loves us, and it doesn't mean that He won't find ways to still do that tangibly.
Consider 2 Corinthians 5:14-15. If Christ lives in us and we now live for Him, does that not make us tools available for His use? Certainly He can use us to show His love to others! Sometimes though, our vision of Christ's love is limited. We only have one word for love, but the Greeks had 3: agape (unconditional), phila (brotherly), and eros (romantic). Keep in mind that God is in His very essence, love, and He's the inventor of it. If the Greeks could identify three separate forms, then certainly God's love for us is made up of all of those.
Take agape, the unconditional love of a parent in God the Father. A good parent is willing to do anything to protect their child, including taking the pain on themselves to spare the child. Sound familiar, like God providing a way to take our place? Then there's phila, the brotherly love of our Savior and brother. In that role, it is more of a sense of accountability, counsel, and friendship, marked with the a willingness to back us up no matter what. Finally, there's eros, the love of a romance. This seems to be the easiest to forget and toughest to wrap our minds around. Even so, we're referred to as the bride of Christ, and that is clearly a reference to a romantic form of love. Think of the imagery of a bride and groom becoming one flesh, then consider the way the Spirit lives in you as a part of who you are.
When I considered each of these I thought of the agape love of my mother, the phila love of my brothers and sisters (both biological and those that adopted me), and even the eros love of a special young lady. No matter who they are, they each offer a glimpse of the love of Christ in their own way. We're all broken, so none of them can offer the complete package, nor are any of them perfect in their own role (not that they don't try!), but they do offer insight. I find it encouraging that God uses people in our lives to offer us these hints of what He is about by extending His love through Christ in us. While each of these are satisfying in their own way, the full love of our Father will be so much greater when we can experience it in all its perfection!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)