Water, water, every where …… Day 7

Please read John 4:7-14 (for the whole story read John 4:1-45)

In the Bible, from Genesis 1:2 where we read that “the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters”, to Jesus teaching us in John 3:5 “unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” and finally to the River of Life in Revelation 22, we encounter water or waters in various forms.

In Psalm 124:1-5 the words floods, torrents and raging waters symbolize enemies’ actions against God’s people. The Assyrian invaders are described as waters in Isaiah 8:7. In Isaiah 59:19 the rushing stream is God’s judgment on evildoers and oppressors.   On one hand the above symbols and words might trouble us, but on the other hand we are comforted by the love and actions of a loving God in the Bible’s water imagery. In Psalm 1:3 the blessed man “is like a tree planted by streams of water”. God extends his peace like a river in Isaiah 66:12. 

Coming John 4, Jesus tells the Samaritan woman that He is the giver of living water(v.10). During Jesus’ time any hearer of the phrase giver of living water would be reminded of “…Lord, the fountain of living water.” Jeremiah 17:13. So Jesus is teaching the Samaritan woman, and us, that He Is God. Later Jesus promises “The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”(v. 14).  That is good news –eternal life comes only from Jesus. So let us rejoice in the Gospel (good news) that God reconciles us to Himself through Jesus’ perfect life, suffering, death and resurrection.  

And there is more. In John 7:38-39 Jesus makes another promise, “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ³⁹ Now this he said about the Spirit..”

So I ask you dear brother and sister in Christ, you who are saved from God’s judgment of rushing waters, and you are given the water-spring welling up to eternal life, do the rivers of living water flow out of your heart? In the Rime of the Ancient Mariner the English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge writes “Water, water, every where, Nor any drop to drink.” In the same way, there are many non-believers, who are dying of thirst because the rivers of living water do not flow from my heart and your heart.   

So let us (you and I) ponder these questions – (1) Does living water flow from my heart all the time? (2) Do love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control flow from my heart towards all of God’s creation? (3) Am I faithful like the Samaritan woman who left her water jar and went told her town people ‘Come and see Jesus’?, and lastly (4) With my words and deeds do I quench(satisfy) other peoples’ thirst or do I quench God the Holy Spirit?

Dear Jesus; thank you for giving me Your Spirit. Help me that from my heart the rivers of living water flow out into the world. Amen!

Agape! Day 12

Love is all you need.

…love is from God…1 John 4:7

…God is love…1 John 4:8

“The truth is this: love is not determined by the one being loved but rather by the one choosing to love.” The Love Dare by Stephen Kendrick 

Yesterday I wrote about four different Greek words for love- storge, eros, philia and xenia. These words represent worldly love. In this world, love is considered an intense and uncontrollable attraction but the problem is, it can be fleeting and selfish, because worldly love seeks to profit or gain. On the other hand, God’s love, which Apostle John teaches in his epistle, is totally unselfish.

Today we look at the word agape. Agape is Christian love and it is unconditional and sacrificing love that tries to imitate that of Christ. It is love that is caring and giving.  It is benevolent love, i.e., love that desires to benefit others and not self. It is love that makes the unlovable feel loved and appreciated. Agape stoops down and comforts – and it doesn’t stop there- it lifts up and blesses. Also, it is an everlasting and enduring love. The best-known Bible verse expresses agape- “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)  

Dear Friend, Apostle Paul tells us to “…be imitators of God, as beloved children. ² And walk in love(agape), as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”(Ephesians 5:1-2)

So let’s ask ourselves the question “ Do I walk in agape?”

Please enjoy this from Chris Tomlin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdxSC1tHJn0

Abba, Father, I thank you for loving me, who is unlovable. In your unconditional love, grace and mercy you called me by your Spirit to the cross of Jesus. Equip me with agape so that people will see my good works and give glory to You in heaven (Matthew 5:16). Amen.

“…do this, and you will live." (Luke 10:28) Day 11

Love is all you need.

For the past few days I have been writing about Love. Texts such as Luke 10:25-28 teach us about Love for God and the love for our neighbor. Of course the word Love is used in the English text, while the word Agape is used in the Greek text. Also coming to the Greek language, the word love takes different forms depending on the situation and relationship.

Today I am writing about four different Greek words for love.( Tomorrow we will look at Agape)

The first Greek word for love is storge – best described as love for a member of our family. It is the natural affection/love that a mother feels for her child, or what a brother has for a sister. It is used mostly to describe relationships within the family.

The second Greek word is eros – best described as a sexual or passionate love between a husband and wife. The English word ‘erotic’ has its origins in the Greek word. 

The third Greek word is philia-  it means brotherly love or the love between two fiends. While storge and eros are between relatives or family, philia is love and loyalty to a non-relative. Now in the US there is a city famous for its ‘brotherly love’ – Philadelphia – though sports fans of other cities will not agree.

The fourth Greek word is important for us Christians – xenia-  it is the very important showing of affection to strangers. It means providing hospitality to people who are neither our friends nor relatives. A host exhibits xenia by welcoming a stranger into his/her house and provides food and shelter, expecting nothing in return. At times the host will go out of his/her way to please the guest. And the guest tries not to become a burden.

These four types of love are good. However, they only represent the relationships between humans and they can be abused, corrupted and can even be perverted.

But as Paul says there is “a still more excellent way.” Tomorrow we will look into it. But before that, I have a humble request. Please take some time and reflect if you have abused any of the four love-relationships written above. Have you always loved your ___________(spouse, child, parent, neighbor) as yourself? Have you always shown love for the persons God placed in your life? Please contemplate.

Hope you enjoy this-  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hQK6GIrpYU

Thank you Jesus for loving me and taking care of me today and forever. Continue to teach me how to love you and others all the time. Amen.

2015 LENT DAY 39 OF 40 FAMOUS LAST WORDS! 2x2A

Luke 23:32-34

Right before he died, singer Frank Sinatra said, “I’m losing it.” Former British Premier Sir Winston Churchill’s last words were “I’m bored with it all”.  

Actor Humphrey Bogart loved his liquor. His last words were “I should never have switched from Scotch to Martinis.” Circus owner P.T. Barnum last words were “How were the receipts today at Madison Square Garden?” Up to the last minute, he was concerned with ticket sales.

A grammarian’s last words were “I am about to -- or I am going to – die; either expression is correct.”  Another famous grammarian said “I die” and then he died.

Many people like to say nice words to their family members. French Philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre said to the woman he loved, “I love you very much.”

By now you must have noticed the pattern. All of the famous peoples’ last words were about themselves and/or their interests. Now there are some people who made sublime deathbed statements. For example Thomas Becket the Archbishop of Canterbury, said, “I am ready to die for my Lord, that in my blood the Church may obtain liberty and peace.”   At first those words sounds great but note the emphasis in Becket’s  “I” and “my”.

Now the last words of a man can teach us about his life, likes and loves.  On the other hand, Jesus’ seven words on the cross are not about himself. They are about his love for you and me.  Beginning with his first word “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” all his words on the cross show his love for us sinners. Some of you might ask –what about the fifth verse “I thirst”?  In fact the complete verse says, “After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” By stating that He thirsts Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of Psalms 22:15 and 69:21.

Dear brother and sister in Christ: all of the Jesus’ actions and words are focused on two aspects– Jesus’ obedience to His Father and His love for YOU.  Jesus’ birth, life, passion on the cross, blessed death, His rest in the tomb and His resurrection from the tomb are all for YOU.

Even his ascension is for you. You ask how? Let me remind you what Jesus tells his disciples in John 16:7 “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to YOUR advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to YOU. But if I go, I will send him to YOU.” Even right now Jesus is working, preparing a place for YOU as he tells you “I will come again and will take YOU to myself, that where I am YOU may be also.” (John 14:2).  

So let us rejoice on this Good Friday that God died on the cross loving us. Also, let us obey his new commandment “… love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” (John 13:34)

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for loving me. Please help me abide in you and love you with all my heart, soul, strength and mind, and my neighbor as myself. Amen.