09. The Offer of Love

Thursday 22nd Feb 

(for more details see here)

 

Pause:

Glorious Jesus,

I want to follow You wherever You lead. Help me to chase after You whole- heartedly, with glad anticipation quickening my pace. Though I don't know what lies ahead, You know - and that is enough! I believe that some of Your richest blessings are just around the bend: out of sight, but nonetheless very real. To receive these precious gifts, I need to walk by faith, not by sight. I know this doesn't mean closing my eyes to what is all around me. It means subordinating the visible world to you, the invisible Shepherd of my soul.

Sometimes You lead me up a high mountain with only Your hand to support me. The higher I climb, the more spectacular the view becomes - and the more keenly I sense my separation from the world with all its problems. This frees me to experience more fully the joyous reality of Your brilliant Presence. How I delight in spending these Glory-moments with You!

Eventually, You lead me down the mountain, back into community with other people. May the Light of Your Presence continue to shine on me and make me a blessing to others.

In Your majestic Name,
Amen

SARAH YOUNG (Jesus Listens)

 

Today's reading: John 13. 30-35

Muhammad Ali. Say the name and you can't help but think of one thing. He was a boxer, perhaps even (as he would have liked us to believe) the greatest boxer of all time... 

J.R.R. Tolkien. You think of his name and one defining thing springs to mind. He was an author - an author of arguably the greatest fantasy work of all time... (In case you didn't know, I'm referring of course to: The Lord of the Rings!).

Eva Cassidy. Singer. That voice - that style of singing... her versions of classic songs somehow becoming the definitive version!

Of course, they were more than of all of those things, (our brains find it easier to view people through as few frames as possible), but supremely known for
just
one
thing.

One
thing.

Which, of course, begs the question: How does Jesus want His followers to be supremely known? If there were
just
one
thing
that could spring easy and instantly to mind when people hear the word: Christian, what might Jesus want that to be?

On some days, the Fierce Evangelical in me might want to argue: "faithful to the word." And of course, that's no bad thing. But is it the one thing?
On other days, the Nervous Charismatic in me might respond: "powerfully anointed." And again, that is no bad thing... but is it the one thing?
And on most days, the Disappointed Realist in me might happily settle for: "trying my best (but often failing) to be like Jesus." 

But Jesus answer both surprises and stretches us.
It strips us of a system of easily quantifiable success metrics.
On one hand - it's hugely comforting, and at the same time, the biggest challenge of my life.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

JOHN 13. 34-35

By this.

By this one thing.

Just
one 
thing.

Love.
Love one another.
Love one another as I have loved you. 

When people think of us, when our name enters their minds or our presence crosses their paths - what do we want to be supremely known for?
When the word: "Christian" is used to describe a person, a practice, a organisation, a book, a belief... do people think of words like: "loving, caring, devoted, affectionate, concerned, fond, kind, sympathetic, sacrificial, compassionate..." or do they think of other words?

 

Reflection: 

A few days ago, we were reflecting on the question of: "What does love look like?" Today, we sit face to face with the God is both the source and essence of love itself (1 John 4) who shows us exactly what love looks like.
It looks like Jesus.

"Love one another as I have loved you." 
   Not just as you would like to be loved... that's the old way...
      Not even just as you love yourself... that's the old commandment...
           This is a new commandment - and could only be given once Jesus had come and fully revealed the Father to us.

Of course, we can't lift that one sentence out of it's moment without losing some of it's power.

The hands of the Man who says that are still covered in the crumbs of broken bread.
The lips of those listening are still stained with the wine of the new covenant.
Symbols of His sacrificial love surrounded us as we here these words.
For The One who invites us into His loving way of life will, mere hours later, give His life away on a cross.

To follow Jesus is to walk in the way of love, and to walk in the way of love is to go the way of the cross.

We shouldn't be surprised when following Jesus leads us to the place of sacrifice.
Do an image search for the word Jesus and you will find that pictures of the cross outweigh any other options.
It is what He is supremely known for. And He calls us now to do the same - not to offer our lives as a sacrifice for our sins - praise God, He has already paid that price for us in full! But in view of such mercy, to "offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your true and proper worship." (Romans 12.1) 

That's the path.
That's the call.
That's what love looks like.
And love, specifically: Jesus-like, self-giving, cross-shaped love is what He wants His followers to be supremely known for.
 

Questions for today:

• How cross-shaped is my love?
• Holy Spirit, how are you leading me towards this type of Jesus-like, self-giving, cross-shaped love today?

 

Prayer:

You may or may not recognise the name of hymn writer Edwin Hatch, but that's because he only ever wrote a small handful of hymns, and only one of which seems to have survived. But what a hymn. Let's take time to slowly digest each line, and make his words our prayer today:  

Breathe on me, Breath of God,
fill me with life anew,
that I may love the way You love,
and do what You would do.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,
until my heart is pure,
until my will is one with Yours,
to do and to endure.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,
so shall I never die,
but live with You the perfect life
for all eternity.

EDWIN HATCH (Psalter Hymnal)

 I prayed this.

My prayer for today: (if you would like to, please feel free to add your own prayer here):

 

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