Today’s scripture: I John 4:16-19 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Steve Adams):
A beautiful song from an album my friend Sharon was playing on the stereo filled the room with rich, earthy sounds and introspective lyrics. It was the first Dan Fogelberg album I’d ever heard, and, in the next few months as we often listened to it, a certain obscure line kept sticking in my head. It didn’t appear until the middle of the six-minute-long song, but it was repeated as the last phrase, posing a profound closing thought:
And maybe there are seasons,
And maybe they change
And maybe to love is not so strange
That was many years ago, and since then God has removed many blockades from my life that prevented me from loving more fully. It strikes me, though, how often my mind still whispers to me, “It would be just plain weird to love in this situation, so just don’t do it! Maybe later, but not now!”
When we’re:
- feeling isolated and alone
- afraid, or just unsure about things
- angry and unforgiving toward someone
- overwhelmed
- feeling ashamed
- in disagreement with somebody
. . .we fall under the illusion that to love would be the oddest thing in the world!
And yet, at those times when we’re:
- seeing life from a spiritual perspective
- moved with compassion to help someone in need
- in union with and focused on God
- peaceful
- giving or receiving love from someone else
- admiring the good qualities in another person. . .
. . .to love is the most natural thing in the world! These situations enable us to see that love is absolutely natural and right — that it’s living out the essence of what our Creator is!
It seems that when my fears increase, it’s because I either have had a high stress level for a long period of time, or I haven’t been focusing enough on God by spending time in prayer and meditation, and therefore failing to soak up God’s thoughts and perspective. Since God is love, and perfect love casts out fear, then spending time with God never fails to substantially decrease my fears. It works that way for all of us, doesn’t it? This is why the “Q” (Quiet Time) Block of LifeJourney’s Soul Care Plan is so important to me.
Jesus had many situations when love seemed very odd indeed — at least to those who didn’t understand him. How strange did it seem to some when he healed the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath, forgave the adulterous woman, raised Lazarus from the dead, healed the gay centurion’s beloved slave, and forgave those who crucified him? But Jesus knew it wasn’t, showing the world he was designed to do what God is — love! And so are we!
Thought for the day: The more I immerse myself in God’s nature, the more natural loving becomes.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.