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.

As I grow older, ………….! Day 10

Love is all you need.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7

Many consider Dr. Karl Barth as one of the greatest theologians of the twentieth century. And there is this story about his teaching at one of the US seminaries. Dr. Barth was supposed to address the seminarians on a Monday. But the prior Sunday night, at a dinner in his honor, he was asked by the seminarians to share what he learnt from the Bible. Everyone was waiting to hear something profound, a new teaching etc. Dr. Barth stood up, smiled and said “Jesus loves me this I know; for the Bible tells me so.” (There are many versions of this story but the same ending)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, If I say the name ‘Apostle John’ and asked you what comes to your mind, you will probably say – author of the Gospel; author of Revelation; the disciple Jesus loved; one of Jesus’ inner circle; a son of thunder (Boanerges); etc.

Now John is a brash and volatile person- he is one of the brothers who asks “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”(Luke 9:51-55). He is also very bold and direct as evidenced by his ambitious request “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” Later when Jesus asks “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”,  John, along with his brother, replies “We are able.” (Mark 10:35-40). His aggression is evident when he says, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.”(Mark 9:38-40).

Dear Friend, that’s how a young John is introduced to us in the Gospels, but do you know that he is called the 'Apostle of Love'? It is stated that as he grew older he spoke mostly of the love of God and love for the brothers. In fact, we can observe from his five books that John encourages us not only to know ‘The Truth’ but also to love one another.

So as we get closer and closer to Jesus and by His grace being sanctified by him, let us reflect upon and appreciate Jesus’ love.

Abba, Father, I thank you for your love shown in your Son’s sacrifice and in the giving of your Spirit. Let me love others as I love myself. Amen!

NOT ABOUT LENT - A LINK TO PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER'S ARTICLE ON HEART DISEASE

http://www.philly.com/philly/health/hearthealth/A_month_to_change_your_heart.html

Boldly tell the world …………….! Day 9

Love is all you need.

If you love me, you will keep my commandments. John 14:15

Pastor Tony Campolo wrote about an incident that moved him deeply at a Christian Camp for Junior High boys. While it was a Christian camp, some of the campers were not Christian and their behavior was not Christian. The worst part of their behavior was evidenced by the way these non-Christians treated a boy with spastic paralysis. And the Christians joined in ridiculing the boy too.  Whenever the boy talked or asked a question, the boys would intentionally answer the way the boy spoke, mimicking him and mocking him. 

One day the tormentors plotted and told the spastic boy that he would lead the night’s devotions and of course, they planned to make fun of him. The boy agreed and come devotion time, he stood up and with extreme difficulty in his slurred, halting words said “ Jesus loves me and I love Jesus.” And then he sat down.

No one, including the boy’s tormentors, laughed- and after a brief silence, some of the campers started crying.

So Dear Brother and Sister in Christ, I ask you - do you know that Jesus truly loves you and suffered and died for you?  Many times you and I focus on fellow Christian/sinner’s actions and we assume that Jesus does not love us. Forget about others in your church, in your milieu etc. Focus on Jesus and His Word and learn to love and trust Him. And with all the assurance that He gives you through His Spirit boldly tell the world “Jesus loves me and I love Jesus!” Tell the world that Jesus is the lover of your soul, He is your only Way and refuge, and He is the one who provides all of your needs.

Enjoy this Charles Wesley classic * - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr_Ao0tQCA0

Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” John 15:23

Dear Jesus, I love you because You first loved me. Help me to abide in You and Your Word. Amen. 

* It is said that Charles Wesley wrote this hymn after escaping an angry mob that opposed his ministry.

How to tell others you are a Disciple of Jesus. Day 8

Love is all you need!

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:35

I have titled this post ‘Love is all you need’ – to talk about Christian love, not the Beatles’ song. The next few days I plan to write about true love as the Bible teaches us. But today I will talk about a song that should be (IMHO) on our minds all the time (1) to remind us and (2) to inform others that we are indeed the disciples of Jesus. The song is by Peter Scholtes and I discovered this song just a few years ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfg5VTyDkyA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=henl3Vp_LM4

By the way how do you know you are saved?  Apostle John answers this “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.” I John 3:14

Thank You God for loving me and showing your love through Jesus. Help me not just to talk about love but to truly love your creation. Help me to love others in His Name. Amen!

You are not alone! Day 7

The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.

(Proverbs 15:3)

The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. (Psalm 121:8)

A man and his son, a young boy, were in their house one night. Suddenly a fire broke out and soon flames were everywhere. The fire forced the son, who was upstairs, to go to the top of the roof. The father was on the ground floor and he managed to get out of the house. He could hear his son scream “Daddy! Help!” So the father yelled back  "Jump! I'll catch you." The father knew the boy had to get off the roof to be saved. The problem was the boy could see only smoke and blackness. The roof did not catch fire yet, so the boy was afraid to leave the roof. His father kept yelling: "Jump! I will catch you." But the boy protested, "Daddy, I can't see you." The father replied, "But I can see you, I can see you and that's all that matters." 

Dear Friends, all of us struggle with problems. They seem overwhelming. Problems tend to stress us out. When we face problems we tend to focus more on the problem and forget about Jesus. Therefore when facing trials, temptations and tribulations, just like the son we can only see flames, smoke and blackness everywhere. But the truth is Jesus is focused on us and that should give us the peace that passes all understanding. At times of trouble and sin, our lack of faith normally makes us concentrate only on what we can see –others faults, our problems etc.

So as the writer of Hebrews teaches us let us “… lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking to Jesus,..”(Hebrews 12:1-2)

“The Christian faith enables you and I to face life or meet death, not because we can see, but with the certainty that we are seen; not that we know all the answers, but that we are known.”*

Thank you Jesus for being my Savior and my friend. Amen.

* Not my words. Author unknown.