It is amazing what God will use to teach you about himself, in this case about his love. I must confess that I am a bit of a tvaholic, but God got me thinking through 'Supernanny' of all things. The show is about a British lady who comes into a home that is in chaos to help bring about some sanity through helpful suggestions. In this particular episode Jo-Jo, 'Supernanny', asks the mother of the house if she still loved her husband. Her response was yes and she went on to say how she wanted to see her husband succeed in life but at the same time was considering a divorce. Then SN asked her if she was 'in' love with her husband and the wife's reply was, 'not anymore'.
Our culture has and does believe that love is a feeling, something that we can 'fall out of' or 'fall into' but is love really about my, yours, or our feelings. I found myself walking back to the cross of Christ, while watching 'Supernanny', where love was displayed in the vibrancy of death and then life.
As Christ was about to be taken captive and led to the cross He called out to God take this cup from me, God if it is possible take me out of this situation, the painful weight of dying anothers' (place your name here) death. Christ did not die for me because I was loveable, deserving, but Christ died out of a love for His father. 'Not my will but your will be done' could be heard as Christ submitted, as Christ lived out his love to His, to my father.
Ephesians tells husbands to love their wives like Christ loved the church, the unlovable. Christ submitted to, Christ willingly put aside what he desired, his feelings and by faith entrusted himself into the sovereign love and care of God. Love is not a feeling, but a decision to submit and be conformed into the image of Christ where we can say by faith 'not my will but your will be done'.
God in his grace and mercy has loved the unlovable, 'while we were still sinners Christ died for us'. We adulterous, rebellious, wretches were loved to life by the great gracious love of God through Christ. Now that is LOVE. Love is not a feeling, it is entrusting ourselves into the care of God and to by faith love like Christ, to love our enemies, pray for our abusers. How many marriages would be saved if we loved like Christ and not how we feel.
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1 comment:
Thank-you for sharing Donnie, it was encouraging to read today. (and the 1st post a few day's ago, as i too am selfish in many of my "acts of kindness")
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