I had the privelege of sharing on Sunday in our collectiv and someone who wasn’t able to make it expressed an interest in me posting it…so here it is, in brief. And, thanks to all who gave encouragement after. I was thrilled to know that God spoke to many of you.
Keep in mind this is directly from my notes so please forgive if it is a bit incoherent. It’s long to…but I’m stalling.
Determined to love…
Never before has this happened. 8 people I am related to or friends with have passed away in the last three ½ years. I have struggled to hear God and what he wants me to take away from these losses and the struggle that goes with it.
As I sat at the memorial for a teacher I used to work with, I was thinking of her daughters and how they would miss having their mom at certain life moments. Then I believe God spoke to me and said that I cannot live in that. I must live for today. Love my kids, my friends my family, my neighbors as though tomorrow isn’t even a possibility. Today is what I have. I am determined to live my love for people today.
I love the word determined or determination.
It sounds like planning went into it.
Determined to lose weight
Determined to eat healthy
Determined to keep your house clean
Determined to communicate better with people.
How can we determine to love?
It takes planning and resolve. Firmness in purpose.
I have been thinking of Jesus and his disciples and their relationship.
Jesus had these guys who he hung with, was close with, they were his friends and support group. He loved them. Imagine though, knowing in advance that those you love are going to fail you. Not that they might- they WILL fail. I’m not talking fail you in the sense of telling your secrets or being hurtful in anyway, but beyond our scope of reasoning. Jesus knew about Judas for instance
Matthew 26:14-16
14Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests 15and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. 16From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
Matthew 26:47-50
47While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” 49Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.
50Jesus replied, “Friend, do what you came for. Jesus knew from the beginning what Judas would do, yet he embraced him as one of his innermost circle and even to the end called him “Friend”. A mind blowing thought.
There we others in his circle, who he knew would betray him…
Matthew 26:31-35 31Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:
” ‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’[c] 32But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
33Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”
34”I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”
35But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.
He knew that these who he held dear would even go against him, yet he loved them.He stayed true to his determination. He wasn’t about big meetings. We only read of a few times he went to large gatherings. He didn’t talk about how to get more people to come to his “sermon on the mount”. His determination was about love in its truest rawest form. Hey got into a few people’s faces, he loved them despite their shortcomings. And they drew close to Him.
Gathering in small groups.
Building tight relationships.
Creating accountability and encouragement.
What does it look like for you? I don’t know. For me, I must care for my kids. Teach them in Godly ways. I must love my husband. I must care for others. Get into the lives of those that I can and at the least be a friend. I am diligent in my work. And the list goes on.I wonder if our determination, our resolve to love our spouses, our kids, our families, our friends, our neighbors- transcended the failures and the shortcomings we have, knowing full well they would happen, what would our communities look like?
If we could see in advance the pain we might endure at the hands of our closest friends not thinking about tomorrow, could we still have the resolve to love? To me it isn’t even a choice. It is a determination. It isn’t negotiable. We don’t get to decide later- Umm yeah, I don’t really love you.
Is it easy…surely not. I’ve heard people say…nothing worthwhile come easy.
Living the words takes resolve…we must have determination.
Are you determined to love, in today, for today?
In Closing
1 John 3:16-24 (New International Version)
16This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
21Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. 23And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
Love one another, with determination. Today.
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