Why Love?

In 1 John, John proclaims the message of God’s ultimate sacrifice of sending his Son to be an atoning sacrifice for us; and with this we now have the revelation of God’s love. The love example John proclaims is the root of love; for God Himself is love, and His love is perfected in us as we love one another. God has enabled us through his work to love one another, for as God Himself abides in us, we are able to walk in that love: His love. 

In Bernard’s four degrees, he separates the difference in motives of loving God. Bernard says that we first love ourselves for our own sake. It is truly fascinating to me that we first seek God with ulterior motives to find comfort for ourselves. I had a far-fetched idea: God intentionally created man so that He could have community and someone to love Him in free choice, so in essence creating us for Himself. He, from the beginning, first loved us so that we may love Him; I find it funny that the degrees of love point out that not until the third degree of Love do we even love God for Him. As I pondered the idea of how and when we finally reach a degree of love where we love God for His sake, we have already made sure that we obtain security of being taken care of. In flesh we have no concern for anyone but ourselves; when we have been in practice of worshipping God for ourselves, through all the hard times and we are thankful for His saving grace, we finally can transition to a place where we begin to worship God for His sake, so that He may be loved and for no reason of our own gain. Through the first and second stages we are becoming softened by the Grace of God that saves and rescues us when we call on Him, thus allowing us to begin to love God for who He truly is and not just for ourselves. 

I find myself on the fence, trying to decide if I agree with Bernard: the fourth degree of love cannot be attained on this earth. Reaching the fourth degree of love is not merely using love for self’s sake; however the fourth degree is intimate, it is when self can love self for God’s sake. I personally think that we can attain a place, even if just momentarily, where we are not concerned with ourselves and we can truly walk in spirit and love self for God. Because ultimately I believe that He created us to be whole and Love what He created; and the hardest thing to love, that He created, is ourselves and that can only be attained when we have found identity in God alone and not in flesh. I don’t think we constantly live in a place where we love self for God’s sake, but I do however think we have glimpses of those moments consumed by the love of God that we truly are able to see His Love abiding in us and we can love that.

Christ Example

Of the many commands Jesus presents in the Sermon on the Mount, two I find particularly important and relevant are “Let your light shine before man” (vs. 14-16) and “Love your enemy” (vs.44).  

When Jesus says, “Let your light shone before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in heaven”, it is crucial to read that last part. Letting your light shine before men, is not so that men can glorify in you, but so that the Father in heaven can be glorified.

The second command that I find to be relevant and vitally important is found in 5:43-44, “You have heard that it was said Love your neighbor and hate your enemy, But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” This command is in its very nature a representation of Christ character. Though it may be seemingly easier to hate the one who persecutes, we must love them just as Christ did; Christ was persecuted by the very people his blood was shed to save. Christ example is true discipleship and the ultimate picture of who we should be like. That’s why I find these two commands vitally important and relevant, they may not be more important than another, but these commands are true pictures of Christ nature. 

Price to Walk

In Matthew Chapter 5, there are more than 10 commands to discipleship, but here are 10, I find to be valuable:

Discipleship: “you are to be the salt of the earth”, “let your light shine before man”, “Shall not commit murder”,  “Reconcile with your brother”, “You shall not commit adultery”, “You shall not make false vows but fulfill your vows to the Lord”,  “Let your yes, be yes and your no be no”, “Do not resist the evil person, but whoever slaps you on your right cheeks turn the other to him also”, “Love your enemy”, “You are to be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect”.

Imitation

When I think about what imitating Christ looks like, it often makes me think of specific experiences that are a reflection of who Christ is and what He looks like in people or in the church. Ephesians 5:1-2, Christ example is Love and Surrender; He has loved and gave himself as a sacrifice for the body. God desires the same thing for His children, He wants us to receive his love and love him as well, and he also desires our whole life; that is the ultimate love and surrender.

When I think of the church the Lord so graciously has allowed me to be engaged in since I was 4, I see His life at work. I truly see a body of people that strive to lay down this life and walk in his love. The church, has intently tried raising up a body of believers to know that they are God’s and that living life in imitation of him is not just doing good, but ‘being’ his, being focused on His love.

If the children of God live a life in imitation to Christ by walking in His love and surrendering our own lives for His purpose, the availability of ministry involvement is infinite. 

Control (reflection of writings from C.S. Lewis)

The thought of giving anyone every part of your being is so incredibly difficult; it is even more difficult to actually put the thought of giving in action. C.S. Lewis reminds me that God not just wants my time, money or work, but God truly wants ME. God is so loving and so gracious that He created us for community with Him; He just wanted a family to love Him. I have found that I often try doing well so that God would Love me or that as His child, I needed to do some kind of super amazing work on my own to make Him proud, so I would make effort to give Him some aspects of my life, but not my whole life.  I do not just want to do well; I want to be surrendered to the work of Jesus Christ, living in Him and He in me. Though I find that the most difficult thing for me to give to God is my control; in trying so hard to do things to please him, I get lost in my own efforts and forget what the purpose is for my life. God has made it evident throughout all of Scripture that we alone are unworthy and only by His works and grace are we whole. A true surrender to the entire identity of what God has made available, means I give up my control of this life, but time and time again I find myself snatching back the very thing I handed to Him. I desire to “give up my whole self”; but as Lewis says, it is the hardest thing to do; we often lose sight in our own pleasures. As I surrender this life to the Lord daily waking knowing that I cannot do it in my own efforts, I hope that I become better at listening to the Father and distinguishing His voice so that I can leave my life surrendered in His hands, giving up the control my flesh so greatly desires.