Truth in Love #2

Posted on Facebook Jun 23, 2020

HELLO KINGDOM!

Truth In Love Part 2

This past Sunday was Father’s Day. Most of us celebrated that day to honor our fathers, living and deceased. Some of us never knew our father, for one reason or another. Some of us refuse to acknowledge the existence of our father. The fact is that regardless of who we are, we all had an earthly father. AND we all have the same heavenly Father, God, who loves us. He created us each in His image (Genesis 1:27) and we are each His masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10.) He loved us so much that He “He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16.) As His masterpiece, created in His image, we are to “be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2.) Staying in Ephesians, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word” (Ephesians 5:25-26.) Just 2 verses before this Ephesians5:23 tells us, “ For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the Church, and He is the Savior of the body.” And in Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

My daughter posted a Father’s Day message to me, wishing me a Happy Father’s Day. Included with it was a drawing of a grill. I thanked her and asked how she knew I would be grilling (because I was, but had said nothing,) even though she was in Delaware. Her response was because I always did. And she’s right, I always did. Now, why on a day to honor me, would I cook my own meal? The answer is simple, yet so complex. Because Jesus loved the church so much, he went about doing His Father’s will and was the ultimate servant leader to the church. He tells us to love our wives (and by extension our family) in the same manner. So in loving her, I serve her and my family. Jesus has told us, though, to love not only our wives, but our neighbors as well. He wants us to love as He loves, all in. Not just part time, not just those who are our friends, but everyone. He loves everyone, even though there may be times he may not be happy with what we are or have done. He still loves us. That love never changes.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven, for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than other? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as you Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48)Just as He wants our complete surrender to Him, He wants our complete love, to Him and to our neighbors, friend and foe alike. It doesn’t matter. It is time to bring the LOVE!

Truth is next. Be Blessed.