Well here we go...we are off and running in our 40 days campaign. Yesterday in worship we started off with a strong reminder that we need each other and that we are not meant to live life alone. God hates loneliness. I have realized that just because you are in a relationship or constantly around other people doesn't mean we are not lonely. The only cure for loneliness is true authentic community with others who are tapping into the power of Jesus Christ.
As I read the first two days devotional readings (Yes, the readings started yesterday with Day 1 in the book) and have been strongly reminded of why loneliness tends to set in for most people. At least for me I get stuck on focusing on my issues, downfalls, needs, wants, desires rather than looking to others. In true community we discover how awesome it is to really love others and when we love others we look beyond ourselves. When we look beyond ourselves and have others to love in healthy ways that's when the loneliness is filled with love, God's real love, the love from a community! You and I were created with the capacity to love but I am discovering as rick Warren points it our that it is not usually my first response. I have to choose to love and live beyond the false pretenses that love is a feeling and an emotion. Love is actually a choice! Just like joy love is something that I can choose to do. We get confused that love is this sweet feeling that conjures up from our heart when we have a good experience with someone or something. The problem with that is what happens when people to act positively towards us, then what. Usually our feelings aren't good and then we fail to love. When you look at love as a choice then we have the capacity to respond in love to anyone in all circumstances...wow that's pretty wild isn't it?
By ourselves we have a limited capacity to love but there is a promise in the Bible that I love from our devotional reading. In Galatians 2:20 it reads, "It is no longer just I who loves, but Christ who loves in me." Did you see that? Isn't that awesome! When we invite Christ into our life our capacity to love actually grows...we now are able to love as Christ and God have loved us. Not only that be we have the ability in Christ to love people with His power. WOW! This was a huge discovery for me in today's devotional. Let's take it one step further. Not only do we have the capacity to love people at a Christlike lever but God actually expects us to. We are to love others and for lasting deep relationships in community. You and I have a love expectation. My prayer today is that God would increase my awareness of my need to choose love more often. I pray that I lean into the love He has put into my heart. I ask God to help me look past my own issues and self absorbed feelings and learn to look to others needs in genuine Christian love. May He do the say in you!
In Community with you,
Your Dreaming Pastor
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