ptl@fluke.UUCP (12/22/86)
Hi, 12/19/86 Some thought about God's love, and His attitude toward us, and our response. William Barclay put it well - "Jesus did not come to change God's attitude to men; he came to show what it is and always was. He came to prove unanswerably that God is love." If we now go off, smiling at the sky, saying God is love and all is well; we've missed the message Jesus brings us. Jesus said that His kind of love requires work, sometimes hard work. It also requires self sacrifice, and a willingness to suffer the consequences of being a loving person; just as Jesus modeled for us. Being Christian means much more than just saying "I'm Christain, therefore I'm saved" - not true at all. Accepting Jesus as our Savior means more than lip service, it means actions (plural). Accepting Jesus as our Savior includes: praying - with intent, listening to our own words with understanding; words from our hearts and minds, not just our mouths; and listening with expectation for God to answer, knowing He hears our prayers and answers them -- sometimes He speaks thru others or situations, sometimes He speaks directly thru your heart; and every once in awhile He simply speaks so clearly that you think He is just behind you or in the next room. Praising God with our entire body, soul and spirit - meaning: make how we live our lives into prayer, how we respond to others and situations is prayer. Praying for ourselves and eachother - we all need it. Attending church, and supporting your church's activities and financial needs. living life to the fullest - Why do you think Jesus cursed the fruitless fig tree? Possibly to tell us clearly that a life that does not bear fruit by building yourself and others up, by loving yourself and others, even sacrificing yourself for others, is a life that is withered and dead; even ugly. What do you think the parable of the talents tells us? Could it be that God has given each of us several talents intended to be used by us to improve our own lives and the lives of others. That not using our talents, we lose them. But like our own muscles, exercising them builds us up, and enables us to serve others maybe in ways we couldn't otherwise. action - helping the homeless and hungry with our money and our time. For instance, rather than just be anti-abortion, give financial support to homes for children and their mothers and/or fathers, support workshops training these men and women for jobs if needed; open your home to foster care, or adoption, if you can. accepting others and ourselves where we are - Jesus does it, and He is our model. Barclay also said "No man whose main attitude to his fellows is contempt can ever be a missionary." Christians who exhibit contempt for others, and even themselves, only turn others away from themselves and God. Christians who share God's love and truth honestly and with God's Love, draw others to God like magnets. This Christmas, commit to growing in our love for God, ask His help and guidance, and then see ourselves with our minds eye, in God's arms, deeply in love. God has given each of us tools --- let's us them together. God's Full and Rich Blessings on Christian and non-Christian alike. Merry and Joyous Christmas and Blessed New Year, Mike Andrews