Finding The Love of Christ

Writing these blogs is getting harder, and harder. The words I have cherished all my life are failing me. The desire to express myself through the power of the pen is replaced with the hunger to be love incarnate. I have no more axes to grind, no more pleas to make, no more burdens to share, and especially no desire to convince anyone of anything. It is now time to love.

It has taken me a long time to get to this point in my life where I am free to love as Christ intended me to love. His infinite patience, and desire to bring me to completeness in Him must have been tried many times over. Love has finally overcome me, subdued my fears, and broke the chains of doubt. I'm not talking about the hollow, empty lusting for another person, or the overwhelming desire to be bound to someone emotionally. There is nothing wrong with these things, but they don't even come close to the peace that comes from the love of Christ. I wish I could explain it, but even with my love of words, and the power I place in them, I can't do this justice. All I know, is that I wish everyone could know the surpassing joy of knowing Christ.

Our age of reason, knowledge, and technology isolates us from the love that could be ours. Anger, hatred, and malice marked so many of my days before I came to this love. I grasped at thin air while hoping to find happiness in things, people, and knowledge. Even while professing my love for Christ, I had no idea of what it really was. I wanted His forgiveness, and eternal life, but found myself clinging to the things of this world. What we own, what we desire to own, and what we believe will endure when we are gone, will not fit in a pine box buried beneath six feet of soil. I have no self righteous junk to hand out, nor do I desire to any more. Position, power, prestige, and control are illusions that people wave before our eyes in the hope we will give them the same gratification. These things are empty, but the love of Christ is full of glory. I stand undone, unfinished, and utterly bereft of self in the face of Christ's love.

The love of Christ has finally consumed me. Thirty eight years ago he blessed me with a wife I've failed to love as I should. Over the period of that 38 years, He blessed me with 2 lovely daughters, a splendid son, and most importantly, five beautiful grandchildren. I don't want my remaining days on this earth to be measured by a love of things, but by a love for those whom Christ has asked me to love. I am not proclaiming an end to the ministry Christ has given me, nor am I waxing morbidly melancholy. I don't feel a sense of impending doom, or lurking death. I've never felt more alive than at this very moment. What I am feeling is a release to say my heart, to embrace the grace, and to speak to love, face to face. I am satisfied to share what small goodness the Lord gives me, with the men of our fellowship, and with my loving family.

Everybody wants to feel self important, and we all do things to make ourselves feel important, but the truth is, we are important to the people who matter. Christ has placed us where we can do the greatest good, and that is the desire of my heart. In the cosmological scheme of things, we have so little time on this vale, it is terrible to waste it on things that don't matter.

To all those who may find this small corner on the internet, I speak to you a simple blessing: Let love always guide you, kindness ever keep you, joy always abound to you, mercy flow from you, and to you. Let kind and tender words be the stones beneath your feet, forgiveness, and mercy be the path you follow, and wisdom be the lover of your soul. Put away childish things, and love.

Tender thoughts always,

en' Christ

For those wishing to keep abreast of where we are, here are the last two Sunday's notes.

• Love is sincere and lives a life of integrity (Matthew 5:33-37)
  • Love doesn't lie
  • Love doesn't need to be bound by empty promises
  • Love is always there
• Love doesn't perceive injury or demand payment  (Matthew 5:38-42)
  • We possess nothing therefore can demand nothing
  • Love is its own reward, the Lord repays
  • Love gives, it doesn't loan.
    • How can you demand back what wasn't yours in the first place
    • the demand of repayment is slavery
      • God hates slavery
• Loving everyone is being perfect, not partial. (Matthew 5:43-48)
  • God loved us first, (While we were yet enemies)
  • Praying for our enemies frees us from anger and fear
    • it also releases God to pour out his love on that person
  • Kindness is love in action
    • What you would do for your friends, do for your enemies
• Love doesn't boast (Matthew 6:1-4)
  • Love doesn't have to tell anyone that it is love
    • Kindness that is touted is its own reward and that is all you'll receive.
      • Man's praise is empty, fleeting, and fickle.
    • If you consider what you are giving, you are judging the needs of the person
      • You are doubting God's provision to provide more
      • God will always provide more to give
    • If you give publicly you may insult the party you are giving to and bring injury to them