The Point part 2
The point of this life--certainly the point of this abundant life--is to be loved and to love. That's it. That's our EPIC (Eternal Purpose In Christ) destiny. That's why we're here. That's why we were created. And the thing of it is, while it may be simple... it's eternally vast. See, this life isn't about GETTING love. It's about the life-long journey of understanding what it means that we ARE loved. It's not about GETTING to the Kingdom. It's about understanding that we are already IN the Kingdom (we already ARE the Kingdom) and EXPLORING the Kingdom. It's about receiving--because it's one thing to be given a gift but it's something else entirely to receive the gift we've been given--and releasing. And I'm convinced that the best way, the most real way, that we can receive God's love to us is BY releasing it. Because you can't give what you don't have. So if you "step out in faith" and start loving people, that means that on some level (with THE measure of faith) you believe that you are loved. And then it's like the man who needed healing for his son, "The father instandly cried out, "I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!"" (Mark 9:24 NLT). It's not about having it all figured out. That's not the point. It's about believing. And seeing is believing. Jesus showed us the Father so that we might believe in the Father. He showed us the greatest expression of love--giving your life for your friends--so that we might believe in that type of sacrificial love. Faith isn't about believing until something happens. Faith is about believing what already happened 2,000 years ago on the cross! And that's the point; It's not what WE do. It's what HE did. And what HE continues to do in and through and as us. It's not about me figuring it all out. It's about HIM revealing Himself to me and in me and as me and through me. It's all about Him. He is the point. It's all about love. Love is the point. But we make it about anything and everything else. The Apostle Paul put it like this, "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" (2 Corinthians 11:3). There's simplicity in Christ. The Gospel--the Good News--is simple. Daddy loves you. Period. And there's nothing you can do about it. No religious jumping jacks or hoops can make Him love you more. And no missteps or mistakes can make Him love you less. Guys, love isn't just what God does. Love is who God is. Simple. But, again, it's so vast. HE is so vast. We can--and should--spend our entire eternal lives dwelling in His love. Exploring it. Enjoying it. Sharing it. Not using it to put up walls--"I'm right and you're wrong"--but using it to break down walls. To connect with each other on that real level of Spirit to Spirit, holy to holy. Because that's the point. We are loved, and because we are loved we can love each other. Because we are loved... we are LOVE!