Live to Love part 2
Jesus said a lot of things that were misunderstood by a lot of people, including His own disciples. But every one in a while He'd make things pretty clear. For example: "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). We (especially religious folk) are so interested in the "afterlife" when Jesus came that we might HAVE life. Right here and now. While we can, you know, live it. Which is also why He made this very clear: "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another" (John 13:34). When you don't know what to do... do what you know. Love. The people of Israel were given a Top Ten, right? And then made another 600 some odd off of those ten. But that was primarily because they had been slaves for hundreds of years and didn't know anything except slavery. They were transitioning from being completely controlled to be completely free. And that's not an easy transition. So God gave them guidelines. With the full expectation that the people wouldn't (couldn't) keep the Law of Moses. Because He also set up a system of animal sacrifice in order to "get them out of trouble" if I can say it that way. Which was, of course, fullfilled in the person and work of Jesus. The Lamb of God that didn't just cover sin, but took away the sin of the world. I honestly, even when reading the Old Testament of the Bible, do not understand where this idea of an angry God who is out to get you comes from. He has always done everything He could to protect His people. Even going as far back as taking Adam and Eve (who were ashamed of their nakedness and trying to cover it with fig leaves--their own human effort) and covering them with lamb skin. Covering them... with Himself. God has never wanted us to be in trouble. What father would? He has never wanted to punish. Only to chasten and correct. To train us up in the way we SHOULD go. To teach us how to live. Which means to teach us how to love. Because to live is to love and to love is to live. You can't have one without the other and you can't do one without the other. Jesus coming so that we might have life, and that more abundantly... means Jesus filling us up with His love. So that we could fill ourselves up with it... by giving it away. Love is giving. You can give without loving, but you can't love without giving. Love one another... as Jesus has loved you. Receive and release His love, and in that way experience His abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life of love by letting Him live His own life in us, and through us, and as us. Rest in His loving arms. And let me say this, because this was the phrase I had in my head when I picked the title for this Rant: If you live to love... you will love to live. Life will stop being so hard all the time. You will still have to go through stuff... but stuff won't go through you. You'll be able to enjoy the journey. The journey into the heart of the matter, which is the heart. God's heart beating with love in our chests. That's what this life is all about. That's what this life IS. And in order to enjoy that life... we simply give what we've got. Let what's inside come out. Jesus came that we might have life. Let's live it. Let's love it!