Over the past several months, I have faced a variety of challenges in my family and beyond. God has been at work the whole time but he has chosen this day to reveal a major truth that I must learn. Psalms 46:1 states "God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble" (HCSB) I have struggled with and in my own strength for many years. Other things have been my focus and it has not been God and Christ. As a result, I have not been what I need to be for my wife and family; neither have I been what my church family needs.
This living in my own strength, rather than in God's, has led me to react inappropriately to the changes around me. Our family dynamic has changed with our two older children leaving to attend college and then marriage. The church family has changed with leadership and membership. Family and church, and for me more church than family, has been my focus rather than setting my focus firmly on God and Christ. So, when all these things change, my foundation is rocked and I and my family become unsteady because I have tried to build it on my own and have not allowed God to be my refuge and solid rock.
God is and must always remain my (our) refuge. Not only is He our refuge, He is our strength. He is the One who provides, protects and supports. I am weak and often fail so I am in constant dependence for God. This is where I must live for the rest of my natural life.
Psalm 62:7-8 gives both a declaration and admonition "My salvation and glory depend on God, my strong rock. My refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge". May we all take heed to the Lord's instruction and let God be our refuge.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Thursday, November 3, 2011
By Our Love
The choir is going to be singing a song, "By Our Love", this coming Sunday, November 6th during the morning service. As I thought about the message of this song which calls brothers and sister in Christ to love others with comfort and with kindness, I was drawn to what Jesus said in John 13:34-35 "I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another:"
Jesus refers to "love one another" as a "new command". We already know that the greatest command is to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart , with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind" (Luke 10:27a) and we know that second greatest command is "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Luke 10:27b). So, what make makes this command new? I had the same question.
I visited one of my favorite dead commentators, Adam Clark. In his writing on this verse he brings out that the action of loving one another is found in the example that Jesus sets before us. Jesus said that we are to love one another "Just as I have loved you..." This is what makes this a new commandment. The greatest commandment focus' our affection on God, the creator of all. The other commandment teaches to love our neighbor as we love our self, because all of us love ourselves and want to have help from others in times of need. What makes this new command new, is that now we are to demonstrate our love the way Jesus demonstrated his love for us. Our love is not based on ourselves alone anymore, it's rooted in the example that Jesus gave us.
How has Jesus loved us? The clearest example is his death on the cross. So, we are to love each other sacrificially. We are to love even when it cost and brings pain. We are to love with compassion and kindness. We are to love with truth and correction with gentleness.
Love God with all you are; love your neighbor as you love yourself; love one another as Jesus has loved you - the outcome will be glory to God, physical needs will be met and the world will know that we are followers of Jesus.
Jesus refers to "love one another" as a "new command". We already know that the greatest command is to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart , with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind" (Luke 10:27a) and we know that second greatest command is "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Luke 10:27b). So, what make makes this command new? I had the same question.
I visited one of my favorite dead commentators, Adam Clark. In his writing on this verse he brings out that the action of loving one another is found in the example that Jesus sets before us. Jesus said that we are to love one another "Just as I have loved you..." This is what makes this a new commandment. The greatest commandment focus' our affection on God, the creator of all. The other commandment teaches to love our neighbor as we love our self, because all of us love ourselves and want to have help from others in times of need. What makes this new command new, is that now we are to demonstrate our love the way Jesus demonstrated his love for us. Our love is not based on ourselves alone anymore, it's rooted in the example that Jesus gave us.
How has Jesus loved us? The clearest example is his death on the cross. So, we are to love each other sacrificially. We are to love even when it cost and brings pain. We are to love with compassion and kindness. We are to love with truth and correction with gentleness.
Love God with all you are; love your neighbor as you love yourself; love one another as Jesus has loved you - the outcome will be glory to God, physical needs will be met and the world will know that we are followers of Jesus.
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