December 4, 2010

12-4-10 Saturday, 6:21 am Springfield, 42 degrees, clear, with Saturn shining brightly in the southeastern sky.

I have the Men’s meeting at 7:45 and the women’s breakfast at 10. Audrey is hosting her Honduras team for brunch. Last night I worked until 9:45 getting the outside lights up. It looks nice as our roofline is illumined in white, tracing its three peaks and valleys.

I John 4:1-21

The apostle begins this chapter with instructions to test those who say they claim to speak by the spirit. This is helpful today, just as it was critical in the early, formative years of the church. Clearly we are involved in a spiritual battle. Verse 4: “But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.” As I teach this series on angels, I am increasingly mindful of the reality of the spiritual conflict between God and the evil powers of this world in which humans are in the middle, and can be servants and soldiers on either side.

In verse 7 John turns to another common theme of his epistle – that as believers we are called to love each other. In the 1970s we sang a scripture song using the KJV of these 2 verses: “Beloved, let us love one another. For love is of God, and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love. Beloved, let us love one another first John four seven and eight.”

One observation of most United Methodist churches today is that they have an inward focus. I would not say that they love each other too much, but it is so easy to pay attention to those who are at hand, to the exclusion of those who are still asleep. It is good for me to read these verses, and to remember that as the world observes the unselfish love that believers have, it will attract as light attracts. And, this love must be sincere, without pretense or hypocrisy.

Guide me today, most holy Lord as I seek to demonstrate love to those who are part of the body of Christ, and to point all of us to sharing your love in this lost and broken world.