Demonstrating Love

Monday, ‎May ‎16, ‎2022

Good morning, Lord

Verse of the Day: Ecclesiastes 11:5

As you do not know what is the way of the wind, Or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, So you do not know the works of God who makes everything.

Memory of the Month: Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Today's reading: 2 KINGS 24-25 JOHN 5:1-24

Demonstrating Love

Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

I wonder, do we know how to demonstrate our own love? This is the wrong question. The question would be more divinely stated:

"Do we know how to demonstrate God's love in us toward others or do we just know how to demonstrate our own love?"

If we can only show our love for others, how far do we fall short? I think we must consider that our own love is not perfect-it is not divine.

"That is how the non-believer loves", you say, "the believer loves with God's divine love".

"This is not always true", I say. How can I make such a statement?

Consider this: A hate riddled youth dresses up like a soldier and drives for hours and gets out at a grocery store and violently kills many people. Our hearts hurt for the families of the slain. Our hearts go out to the first responders and all the community that is affected. Our hearts are broken for the region and then for our country that we have reached such a point in our history. We may even feel sorry for the parents and family of the shooter.

But what about the shooter? Before you answer that, read this:

Luke 18:11>The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people, robbers, evildoers, adulterers, or even like this tax collector(or 'shooter').

I confess, I am glad I am not like this shooter. I am fortunate to not have had something go so wrong in my brain that would precipitate my involvement in such an atrocity. The accounts read that the shooter's home community was shocked that someone from there could go so wrong.

Boy, I'm glad I am not like that guy...

The shooter demonstrated his hate for his victims by having them die for his sin.

God demonstrated His love for us that before we were born, He had His son Jesus die for our sins-even my sins?

How do we demonstrate our love for this shooter-or for our fellow man-by praying they get what they deserve?

Now the question is this: "Based on scripture, how would God demonstrate His love in us toward 'such sinners as this'?"

"Based on what scripture?", you ask.

Matthew 7:1>Don’t judge others, and God will not judge you.

Based on just that one scripture alone, we have no right to judge the shooter. But don't argue the point with me and my thoughts, argue with the author of the scripture-the one who demonstrates His love for us-sinners not even born-by having Jesus, His Son, die for us. As a matter of fact, God had Jesus die for the shooter, too, knowing what he would do one day.

I agree, that is indeed a hard pill to swallow-so take the scripture and prove that statement wrong. In God's plan, a murderer, Barabbas was released to satisfy the hate of the crowd and insure the death of Jesus.

The point of this is not to create a giant argument, but to prayerfully see that the same voice of sin that cried out, "Crucify Him!" is the same principality or power we succumb to when we judge this shooter.

Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Galatians 5:16-18

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

So, if we sin and are not being led by the Holy Spirit, we have put ourselves right back under the law-where we feel entitled to judge someone else's sin.

One sin leads to another. We accept the lie that tells us we do not need to pray today-prayer where we take up our crosses and follow Jesus(Luke 9:23). Then comes the enemy's entitlement where we 'feel' we have the right to judge another person's sin.

When we start taking God's truth lightly or ignore it altogether, one lie follows another.

In any age, God's truth is still the same. If we humble ourselves under God's mighty hand, 1 Peter 5:6&7, He will lift us up. If we fail to humble ourselves under His hand, we are under the enemy's knee on our necks. Why would we do such a thing?

Paul wrote:

Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

It is time for us to stop the wishy washy discipleship and set our jaws for Jesus.

Isaiah 50:7

But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame.

Be divinely stubborn-let God demonstrate His love in your heart as the world screams, "Crucify..."

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven,

I confess I have taken myself out from under Your divine hand so I can feel entitled to judge. Have mercy on me as I return to You. I choose to be under Your hand.

Merciful and loving God,

In the name of Christ Jesus,

Amen