Thursday, June 19, 2008

Perfect love

Today’s Reading: John 12:48-50(NIV)

48 [Jesus said,] “There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. 49 For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. 50 I know that His command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

Good morning!

I’ve been thinking a lot of life and death this week. I lost my cousin Jeff yesterday. He had been ill and had suffered for many years. His physical body is at rest now. I grieve for his family, who bore the responsibility of caring for him throughout his illness and death. My aunt, who is 86 years old, cared for Jeff in her home. There is a unique and special bond between a mother and child. Mothers seem to have the uncanny ability to see all the potential and possibility, believing in a better day for their child’s life. My aunt never gave up hoping her son would one day be completely healed. Now, he is.

Jesus brought a message of hope straight from the Father’s heart to the world. He did not come to judge the world, but to save it. He bore the Father’s message of perfect love to humanity. It is His message of eternal life, and Jesus continues to offer everlasting hope to all who will hear and believe. Isn’t it amazing how much the Father loves us? He didn’t give up on us when we were suffering in our sin. God didn’t turn His back on the lost and lonely. The Father sent His very best to restore His people to health and wholeness. He longs for all of us to be restored in His love, and He is the only One who has the power to do it.

The love of the Father, revealed through Jesus the Son, is emulated through the helping hands of caring hearts. They choose to believe in the potential and possibility for every hurting human soul. You can see the love of Christ actively working through the ones who daily care for the needs of others. It is that experience of being intimately loved by God that teaches us how to reach out and love each other. May you find complete healing and wholeness in the perfect love of Jesus Christ today.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Your purpose in life

Today’s Reading: John 12:47(NIV)

47 [Jesus said,] “As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it.

Good morning!

It is good thing to know your purpose in life. This week, I completed a nine-credit hour, twelve week quarter cluster at Lindenwood University. The World Religions cluster was one of the most interesting studies I’ve taken. We focused our thoughts on many different faith traditions, cultures, and the historical thread linking generations in faith. There was a great deal of reading to do each week and the classroom discussions were engaging. I found myself leaving this class with many more questions than answers. There is so much to learn in life and so little time in which to assimilate it.

I’ve watched from afar and admired my husband’s tenacity and determination to follow His call to ministry, from the age of seventeen years. I will soon be fifty years old, and I’m still trying to discover who I will be when I grow up. My heart was stirred as I listened to the instructor’s closing comments in Monday evening’s class. He talked about matters of faith and how one perceives call; how His life’s work has been divinely directed, even when he wasn’t completely certain of the next steps to take. He gave me hope in knowing that the final goal, while extraordinarily important, is not the pinnacle – it is the journey there that makes all the difference.

Jesus knew, without a doubt, His purpose for living in human flesh. He did not come to judge the world in its broken state, the mistakes of its past, or the future fumbling of the baton. He came for one reason - to save the world from total separation to the Father of light. Jesus gave Himself as a perfect and holy sacrifice for the sins of the world, not judging but loving us in perfect love. How hard is it for you to love the ones who hurt you? To care about the ones who want nothing good for your life? To be willing to allow another hardened human heart to drive nails into your flesh and leave you hanging on a splintery piece of wood to die?

At the end of my presentation in class on Monday, I posed a question to the class: In one sentence, tell me your purpose for living. Are you able to answer this question today?

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.