I deem today's topic very timely and appropriate, and here is why. On my way from Montego Bay yesterday (Aug. 20, 2009) I got a call from a Bishop in New York who after his felicitations said these words to me. "I heard about your elevation, congratulations and I know you can do it. I have watched you over the years. Let me share something with you. On the death of Bishop----,his successor decided to change everything in a hurry and the church became divided and unsettled. The Bishop decided to seek the Lord as to what to do. The Bishop said the Lord spoke to his heart and told him the first thing he needed to do was to love the people." After he started loving the people nothing could stop the growth of the church and the love in the church.
Yes only love is stronger than death. Those of us who are married for the right reason can attest to this fact. The parents among us can shout a big Amen.
Before we boast of our love for God we need to see your love for the brethren. For, how can we claim to love God who we have not seen, and fail to love those in whose face we can see God. We can serve out of habit or out of selfishness to save our own skin. But when we serve out of love the difference is remarkable. You see love so amazing, so divine demand my life, my all. Let us love with a pure heart.
Pax Vobiscum
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Robert A. Stewart
Bedene wrote:
ReplyDeleteAmen to this one. The question I often ask myself is "what is love?" I will not touch the love in marriages, (that may be too BIG for me..., though it may not be). I really can't figure out how genuine love turns to hate.
Anyhow truly we cannot say we have love for one another if we do not accept the love of God. We cannot say we love God and do not love one another. Now how can we say we love God and our brother, sister, neighbour, friend tries to get our attention for some need and we turn a blind eye, or we say sorry can't help you today. True we may not be able to help everybody, but how many bodies have we been able to help? How much are we spreading the Good News to others? Caring and sharing are the factors or examples Jesus used to show His love for people. Today it's so evident that people are just too busy for people. What can we say to these things? Much can be said on these topics but let us go in peace. May the love and peace of God abide with us all now and forever more. Amen.
Reminiscent of Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet', and it has everything to do with romantic love. True the wisest man surmised that 'love was strong as death', but there is so much evidence to concur with Shakespeare's vista that love transcends the death and the grave. It was for this reason that Jesus died, because through love He could draw us unto Himself even though His love caused Him to die.
ReplyDeleteIt is not hard to see that love and hate are so related. As Christians we must love God and hate sin/evil. The extent of our hatred of sin/evil possibly will be matched by how much we love God in recognizing what sin caused, and the resultant suffering that Jesus endured because of it. Consequently we are admonosihed to reckon ourselves "dead to sin" as we express our love for Jesus our Lord and Saviour.
As Elder notes, the Bible equates our love for God with the expression of love (thruogh service) for our fellowman. This is a challenge and an opportunity for us to broadcast the fact that we truly love and serve God when we express love for one another.
Peace