Okay folks just sharing a little bit of my time in the Lord’s presence. This has been on my heart for a while.
Scripture: Matthew 19:3-10, 16-26
While the Pharisees’ motive was to test Jesus, we ask the same questions today, seeking the easy route out. We sometimes seek to just touch the basics as long as we are not “sinning.” As clearly demonstrated in verse 20 down the chapter we also want to genuinely know what makes us the Royal Priesthood, the Anointed Ones and the Disciples of Christ.
Moses, knowing that his people did not have the ability to love correctly, bent the rules so as to ease their ways.
But Jesus, through the lens of the resurrection knows we were made for more and can be more. He knew we can go beyond the rules and love more when called upon. For instance, we are the nice to people but we can go beyond that to be peacemakers. We are good stewards of our finances, but can we be more generous.
As I read further down the chapter, another man came and asked Jesus, “Sir, just tell me, I know all the rules of the game and have never broken any of them, I must be done, am I good to go?” Jesus remaining so cool, replied, “Good job, but it is not about the rules. You have missed the point. In order to be perfect, you have to Love.” I asked myself if it is even possible to obey all the rules without loving. Then I remembered that 1 Cor 13 answers my question. What a waste of time and effort if we can do all things flawlessly for reasons other than love? No wonder 1 John 4:8 says, “Whosoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
I recently got in touch with my estranged cousin: the family had lost touch with him for more than 30 years. He is upset with family and everyone has also given up on him. After searching with help in Hamburg Germany, I finally got in touch with him. To my surprise he agreed to speak with me and our first conversation went well. It’s just that he doesn’t think he needs family for anything. He also said he believes there is God but this whole Christianity thing is just a waste of time. These statements broke my heart. But then I remembered that the whole point of searching for him was because I felt the HS had impressed upon me to bury my own pride, be a peacemaker and introduce him my Lord, Jesus Christ. If I succeed in doing that without loving him, I have failed. I cannot do any of these without loving him first as Christ loved me even though he doesn’t think he needs the family. That is my biggest challenge.
Love is the secret ingredient. How I wish I knew that much earlier. Are we doing so much and being so busy but not really loving? Or are we ready to relinquish anything that stands in the way of Love? Note that in both episodes in the above scripture Jesus hints that we will not be able to love without His help and fellowship and that was partly what His coming was all about; to be with us in the abundance of His grace that enables us to love like He did.
Well, maybe it is time to change our focus to pure, unconditional love: “no GMO”, “no pesticide,” “no antibiotics,” in fact, no artificial anything. Just Organic Love! Remember He said love, like all other virtues, is possible only with Him and not ourselves. Go team!!