In death

In death I am reminded of how much it hurts. It hurts the family and friends who knew the person and it hurts to watch those who hurt. In death I reminded of how important community is-your relationships with the people around you. I am reminded of how important your family is and being thankful for those who you can still share life with. In death I am reminded of what really matters in life-and it isn't the material things we tend to value so much. I am reminded of how important your church family is. Most importantly, I am reminded that as Christians, death has no claim on us. God conquered death so that we may live eternally with Him.

John 19:30 shows us the 3 words Jesus said before He died on the cross more than 2,000 years ago: "It is finished." With this, we have been offered a gift and we must choose either to accept it or not. However, I have to say why not take God up on His offer? This is a gift that keeps giving and giving. Christianity is not a ticket to being perfect because we aren't, and are not capable of perfection, and it isn't going to relieve you of adversity in your life, but it will give you hope. God also offers mercy and grace and like I originally said, eternal life.

I have been thinking about this post for several days in light of a family friend's mother/grandmother. In my head this post runs on and on, but thoughts have seem a little fleeting right now. Sometimes fewer words are better.

God is love

Human love fails. Ever since our ancestors ate the forbidden fruit, we have been incapable of being perfect. Yes, that means even you are not perfect. As humans, we do not have the capacity to truly love another, let alone God, like God loves us.

For a little while now, I have been struggling over how or why does God love me so. We can quote the scriptures saying how much He loves us and we can tell others about His love and how much He loves us, but how often do you stop and actually let that resonate within you? I know God loves me, but sometimes I wonder why. I am so unworthy of His love and grace and mercy, and yet he bestows it on me time and time again.

However, tonight maybe something else clicked. What is true love? If God is love then shouldn’t love be a relentless, ever-pursuing relationship? Since God is love, isn’t love forgiving, compassionate, and just? Isn’t love a best friend and isn’t it a love of few words yet a never-ending thirst to hear what you have to say and be a listening ear?

If God calls you to be married, I assume He creates this type of love into your humanly relationship-as much as possible since we are mere humans. Therefore, I should stop trying to satisfy a want for love through human interactions and let the Lover of my Soul just do His work. Allow Him to pursue me and me pursue Him. At the right time, God-willing, He will make known the human love relationship He has intended for me. God is love. His example should be our example in life. We will still fail because we are humans, but the True Love is right there waiting for us and that is where I find my peace and hope.

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