Tag Archives: beloved

My soul matters

 

Casting Crowns – Oh My Soul 

 

I remember Billy Graham in a television interview, most likely with Merv Griffin, stating that he was nothing more than a worm. So when I read this, I remembered where he quoted it from.

Behold, even the moon is not bright,
and the stars are not pure in his eyes;
how much less man, who is a maggot,
and the son of man, who is a worm!” – Job 25:5-6 ESV

However, I love Job’s response. He explains to his friend – how can you say these words, they are not helpful, they do not lift me up or encourage me. He then follows up with the words his friend should have used. He should have described the power of God. That would make the difference.

Sometimes when I am discipling, I find myself drawn too much into those I am with and see life from a human perspective. Job reminds me to keep my eyes on God and who He is. That will give me the perspective I need to have to walk with those I am discipling.

When my soul is right with God it would seem that I should be in good health.

Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.  – 3 John 2 ESV

At least that would be a good prayer for Job – unfortunately none of his friends knew this. I like this prayer for it again puts perspective back to God – He is the only one I cry to, the only one I ask from. If I look after my soul and invite Him in to heal it, then I will walk with Him in order to be able to walk with others.

Standard

Let us love

 

Beloved let us love one another

 

I came across this story about the apostle John and I found it challenging for sure…

The church father, Jerome, said that when the apostle John was in his extreme old age, he was so weak that he had to be carried into the church meetings. At the end of the meeting he would be helped to his feet to give a word of exhortation to the church. Invariably, he would repeat, “Little children, let us love one another.” The disciples began to grow weary of the same words every time, and they finally asked him why he always said the same thing over and over. He replied, “Because it is the Lord’s commandment, and if this only is done, it is enough” (cited by John Stott, The Epistles of John [Eerdmans], p. 49).

I hear so much about focusing on one thing and John was so clear to what I am called to focus on.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.  Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.  In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.  In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. – 1 John 4:7-11 ESV

I cannot imagine the steps John took from being one of the fiery ‘sons of thunder’ to the one who penned these words. He found a way, more and more each day, in discovering the amazing truth that God is love.

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. – 1 John 4:16 ESV

That does not mean a mushy kind of love either. The Psalms reminds us of the power of that love.

Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Jacob,
who turns the rock into a pool of water,
the flint into a spring of water. – Psalm 114:7-8 ESV

How can I apply the power of love in my life today?

Somehow it must be tied into my faith for how often do I say I lack faith. I think the failure of walking in the kingdom of God lies there, somewhere. If I had more faith in the power of God, had higher expectations of His power in my life, then I would overcome the world.

It sure is one thing to say that God can do this or that, and it is quite another thing to believe it. When it comes to love, God will do something even more amazing than what we could ever hope for or imagine.

 

Standard