Pursuing Love - Pursuing Jesus
Think with me of Peter walking on the water. The story is found in Matthew 14, beginning in verse 23 - check it out.
What could have compelled him to step out of the boat? I spent a lot of time in a fishing in a boat growing up. I only once willingly jumped out of it and it wasn't in the midst of storm. It wasn't all that far from shore and it wasn't without a good reason. I can only think of one compelling reason for Peter to step out of the boat in the midst of the storm and that is the desire to be in the presence of Jesus.
Look at what Peter did: He was in the boat in the midst of the storm. He sees Jesus coming - walking on the water (doing the impossible, again). He calls out to Jesus: "Lord, bid me come if it is really you." He then is obedient when the call back says: "Come." by stepping out of the boat. What Peter really does here is an act of trust. I think he looks at Jesus and sees all the amazing things: healings, casting outs, weather control, fishing success, and recalls his wonderful words of love and steps out of the boat. He based his act of trust on the relationship that had been built and could see no reason not to trust Jesus. So he steps out of the boat and begins to walk to Jesus - to move to Jesus - to be in the one place on the sea that was safer than the boat - with Jesus. His desire to be in the presence of Jesus was stronger than his fear of the wind and his knowledge of gravity (that people sink in the water).
Now I know what you are thinking - those of you who know this story. You are already saying it to yourself: "Wait - wait - he failed. He lost his focus, his faith, saw the wind and the waves and looked down and sank." And its true. He did fail. But that's really the beauty of this story. Peter - when he took his eyes off of Jesus, when he looked at the world around him instead of focusing on his relationship with Jesus sank like a rock. And he cried out: "Jesus, save me!" Jesus reached down and immediately lifted Peter up out of the water.
His desire to be with Jesus moved him out of the boat, his failure caused him to call to Jesus for help. His being in the presence of Jesus allowed him to walk on the water back to the boat and in the boat with Jesus, the storm is stilled.
If we want to really pursue love - we must with our whole being pursue Jesus. We have to step out of our boats called lives and answer Jesus invitation to come. When we fail - cry out for help. And then walk back to the boat in the presence of Jesus so our storms will be stilled.
Get out of the boat!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Pursuing Love Brings In Power
Pursuing Love Brings Power
This formula when I first thought about it scared me. Love and Power in the same sentence - in the same thought pattern did not really seem to fit together. At least not the love that is talked about in 1 Corinthians 13 - that agapic - unconditional love seen in the redemptive act of Jesus. We hear the word "love" and we think "nice" "calm" "hopeful" we hear the word "power" and we think "control" "strong" "decisive." They seem at best to be contradictory and at worst inflammatory towards the other.
IN REALITY - the formula above is exactly right, pursuing love brings power to our lives. As we pursue the love of God - we find forgiveness for our own sin, reconciliation to our own God and restoration relationship with our God. As we pursue the love of humanity we also find forgiveness, reconciliation and restoration. The love talked about in the Bible - isn't a noun but a verb. It is an action that we take, not an object of affection. As we love God we are given more power for loving others. As we love others our capacity and strength for loving grows exponentially and cannot hardly be measured. But it can be seen and understood. Loving others means "doing good" to and for others. Loving means to forgive faults and accept people for who they are - even if we don't "feel" like it. When we love like this - we become powerful. When we love like this, lives are changed. When we love like this, hope is found. Broken hearts are mended. Broken relationships restored. When we love like this the lame are made to walk and the blind are made to see. The hungry are fed, the naked are clothed. That is the kind of power I want to have.
Pursue love my friends, pursue love.
On the Journey -
YourPastorDude
David
This formula when I first thought about it scared me. Love and Power in the same sentence - in the same thought pattern did not really seem to fit together. At least not the love that is talked about in 1 Corinthians 13 - that agapic - unconditional love seen in the redemptive act of Jesus. We hear the word "love" and we think "nice" "calm" "hopeful" we hear the word "power" and we think "control" "strong" "decisive." They seem at best to be contradictory and at worst inflammatory towards the other.
IN REALITY - the formula above is exactly right, pursuing love brings power to our lives. As we pursue the love of God - we find forgiveness for our own sin, reconciliation to our own God and restoration relationship with our God. As we pursue the love of humanity we also find forgiveness, reconciliation and restoration. The love talked about in the Bible - isn't a noun but a verb. It is an action that we take, not an object of affection. As we love God we are given more power for loving others. As we love others our capacity and strength for loving grows exponentially and cannot hardly be measured. But it can be seen and understood. Loving others means "doing good" to and for others. Loving means to forgive faults and accept people for who they are - even if we don't "feel" like it. When we love like this - we become powerful. When we love like this, lives are changed. When we love like this, hope is found. Broken hearts are mended. Broken relationships restored. When we love like this the lame are made to walk and the blind are made to see. The hungry are fed, the naked are clothed. That is the kind of power I want to have.
Pursue love my friends, pursue love.
On the Journey -
YourPastorDude
David
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)