Transition part 2
There's a way things were... and there's a way things are. And the thing that happened in between is the cross. Jesus' Six Steps to the Throne where He was Crucified, Died, Buried, Quickened, Raised, and Seated. And not only Him, but us IN Him. Because Jesus didn't just give His life FOR us, He gave His life TO us. He didn't just die (and rise again) for us, He did it AS us. He drew us all into Himself and He planted Himself in us all. And then the seed died, so that it could bring forth much fruit. We are that fruit. The fruit of the Spirit. Which is love. And I said all that to say this: Love is the difference between life and death. If you know that you are loved, you can love. And to live is to love. To love is to live. You can't have one without the other, and you can't do one without the other. Because they are not just connected. They are the same thing. There's a way things were, before the cross, when we were dead in our trespasses and sins. When we were trying to earn our bread by the sweat of our brow, but no matter how close we came to grabbing the carrot, the stick always moved just out of reach. Jesus said it like this, "...One thing thou lackest..." (Mark 10:21). And in that case it was a rich young ruler who not only had a lot of stuff, but had let his stuff have him. He was tied to worldly possesions. And that is the case for some of us. But in other cases it could be a lack of forgiveness. Or a lack of compassion. A lack of empathy. And when it comes to that lack, the only thing that can fill that void is God. Only God can fill a God-shaped void. Only love can fill a love-shaped void. We can't forgive until we know that we are forgiven. Because you can't give what you don't have. And you can only give what you do have. If you're struggling to find something, you surely can't experience it. And you experience things by sharing them. By giving them away. Receiving and releasing the love (and forgiveness, and compassion, and mercy, and grace) of God. Receiving them BY releasing them. Because if you step out and faith and forgive someone, that means (on some level) you know and believe that you are forgiven. Because (one more time) you can't give what you don't have. And you can only give what you do have. We don't do in order to be. We do BECAUSE we be. I remember every Sunday at my old church going through a refrain about God. And the part that really stuck with me said, "I have no lack because my God has no lack." I don't have to earn anything, because everything He has is mine. The ultimate truth of the universe says, "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand" (John 3:35). God is love and He loves you. He has given you everything He is and everything He has. Simply because He loves you and wants you to have it. And here's my thought for today: "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death" (1 John 3:14). There's a way things were--death. And there's a way things are--life. And the difference... is love. We know that we have transitioned from death unto life because we love. Because we are loved. Because we are love!