A Command to Love

A Command to Love...

I must say it used to be a difficult task to love people, I thought "if they don't bother me, I certainly will not bother them"! However, over the years my love has evolved to new heights. It was rather confusing at first as I sought to please everyone that crossed my path, willing to exhaust myself through conditional giving, the kind of giving that looked for something back. 

Yes, if I did something for you back then, I expected that you liked me and thought of me to be the best thing since sliced bread...all because of the things I've done for you. In this unhealthy craze-phase, I went through unnecessary emotional ups and downs, particularly when I felt unwanted, unliked, and completely rejected. I quickly learned that I could not buy my self-esteem, no...not even a ticket to popularity. I learned that I did not love myself, otherwise I would not have been so eager to see how many "likes" I got.

When we realize that we are loved by the best, The Lord God Almighty, he helps us to put love in the greatest perspective through his son Jesus. Jesus was available to those who would receive him; he didn't force himself on anyone. In fact, he says let those who want to come, come. He did not remove his love for those who hated him, but it remained in its place (very still) in the event that someone turned back. He was not moved out of sorts when he learned that some rejected him; he continued to BE him (all that he was and is).

Eventually, this supernatural ability to love came upon me, but with respect to the boundaries in the choices people made. Some decided to love, while others were unloving. Someone may say "Valerie, I only want you to come so close". My thought "ok". My ability to love is rich and giving, so sad that one chooses to reject it. 

It seems natural for me to love people like I love my family and to care for them in a way that is indistinguishable from my own blood. But, occasionally I meet those that desire a stagnant love, one that says "I'm just happy to know you". They don't want to receive true love, neither do they desire to give it. That stagnation keeps them at a chosen distance...a distance to be respected, but my love remains in the event that you choose to turn back. Sometimes we are guilty of going beyond our inborn ability of kindness and love just to woo others into "liking" us, but the key is to just BE!

We are not Jesus, but we should understand when he says 'come if you want to come', if you don't, that's okay too...he won't  love you any less, but he will respect the boundary that you've drawn.

There's a song that says I'm Satisfied with Jesus in My Heart. Be encouraged daily to enjoy the fulfillment of Gods love in your heart. His love is so complete that we don't have to compromise in life just to be loved by someone else. And when it is decided by people to love...this is considered the overflow.

My love is whole and maintained by the love of God, it cannot be moved to and fro by every changing wind of emotions. To BE, means to Love continuously!

1 John 4:8

1 Cor. 8:3

John 12:42-50

1 John 4:19-21

Who Are You With?

For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:20, 21 NIV)

Did you miss your moment to show WHO you're really with?

Many voices have spoken, some proclaiming to be Christians, others who are not, some supporting Obama, and others supporting Romney. Clearly we see the division, but even more so divided from the hate that has spewed from the mouths of the people, who most likely did not and still don't have an understanding of worldviews. Each person contending that their views were right in its own way, concocted to disguise the hate that was embedded before there was a Barak or Mitt.

But what we fail to understand is that God's creation was subjected to this frustration in this manner (through issues surrounding the election) for the purpose that people may see themselves as they truly are, so that they can be liberated from bondage to decay (hate) and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. And you thought it was about the election, when really your heart and the essence of it has been exposed. Deal with it and turn to God, then and only then will he heal this land (1 Chron. 7:14)!

If there was a time that one thought "my life is in the order of God, and I have nothing to repent of"...this is your awakening.

Oh how simple it is to just make a decision, we do it everyday. For example, we may stroll down the grocery isles trying to decide upon a particular brand of chips...one may choose Lays over Golden Flakes, but surely they don't despise, talk bad about the Golden Flakes, instead they leave them nice and neatly on the shelf because they prefer the recipe of Lays. The decision has been made, its done and you walk out of the store. How hard is it then to make this same decision of your presidential candidate rather than tearing them open and mashing them in the dirt, whether it was Romney or Obama. You could not make this decision because this was your moment to justify that pre-existing hate. Therefore, you missed your moment to be Christ-like as you have proclaimed to behave. Fix it!

Out of all the negative post on Facebook over the period of this election, I was moved to rebuke, lovely and by scripture alone, one person of the older generation because her wisdom in past times had been food to my soul. If I had lacked maturity in God, she could have caused me to stumble and join in with her negative comments regarding the election. She was offended and felt judged, but as I recall...my flesh was contained and did not tear into her as I know I could, but the spirit of The Lord used me to warn her to get back to the ways of The Lord in a way that will edify the people.

If you are a "friend" of mine, I must remind you that I am first a woman of God before I am a friend of yours...which means that I will choose truth, God's truth, over any relationship that I have with people. You can trust that I study and will rightly divide the Word, which can be used to rebuke and correct, and I am confident that I have not misused it. If the Word convicts you, then so be it. If you are hurt because I was the one that said it, well...I apologize, that's an easy fix...you have my permission to delete me as a friend. However, I will not apologize for the things that God has spoken.

These presidential candidates are creatures of God, you may not always agree with them but you should love them and respect them, leave them neatly packaged in the same way that they present themselves. Allow The Lord to examine your heart so that the bitter roots of it may be plucked up and out, in the name of Jesus! Amen!