Day 12 in Love: My Favorite Psalm

Psalm 118 holds special importance to me. It was a Psalm I discovered in the middle of a very dark time for me and one that I clung to throughout that journey. In fact, this Psalm holds such high importance to me that I had part of it permanently inked onto my side...Psalm 118:14.

This morning I wanted to take a closer look at this entire writing and remind myself why this Psalm was so important to me. This is going to be a very long verse for the morning, but it speaks volumes about the way our God loves us and how we should live because of it:

Psalm 118:1-29

"Give thanks to the LORD for he is good; his love endures forever

Let Israel say: "His love endures forever."

Let the house of Aaron say: "His love endures forever."

Let those who fear the LORD say: "His love endures forever."

In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered by setting me free.

The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

The LORD is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies.

It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.

It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.

All the nations surrounded me but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

The swarmed around me like bees, but they died out as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

I was pushed back and about to fall, but the LORD helped me.

The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.

Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous.: "The LORDS's right hand has done mighty things! The LORD's right hand is lifted high; the LORD's right hand has done mighty things!"

I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done.

The LORD has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death.

Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter and give thanks to the LORD. 

This is the gate of the LORD through which the righteous may enter.

I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation.

The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the LORD has done this and it is marvelous in our eyes. 

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

O LORD, save us; O LORD, grant us success.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you.

The LORD is God, and he has made his light shine upon us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.

You are my God and I will give you thanks; you are my God and I will exalt you. 

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."

His love endures forever...

Day 8 in Love: Zephaniah 3:17

One of the coolest things about this challenge I have given myself is the chance I have to learn more about the historical significance and roots of my beliefs. This morning I spent a little bit of time searching through an NIV online resource for a verse about God's love for us. I found a link to the book of Zephaniah. After reading the verse on the computer screen, I decided to open up my bible and read it more in context...the entire chapter is very short.

Zephaniah was a prophet that held a high social standing in Judah. He makes a brief reference to his royal ancestry in the beginning of the chapter. In his short writing, Zephaniah shares of a day when Judah's God will return to judge the nations. Much of the chapter speaks of punishment for those nations that turned against God and his teachings. However, there is a section dedicated to reassuring Jerusalem of God's promise of love.

Zephaniah 3:17 "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."

This verse can be tackled in so many different ways. So many things are being said about God's love for us in these 2 sentences. Zephaniah is telling his people not to worry about the judgement, if they have truly loved, God is bigger than anything they might fear.Those that have loved will be saved. He is reminding the people that God loves like a father; He takes pride in his children, rejoices in their goodness, and will pacify them in times of trouble. This is so important to remember, yet so easy to forget as we look around and see heartache and troubles. This life is temporary though. This life is not what we are living for, living this life is a step towards something bigger. I believe we are sent here for a purpose, each and every individual, is sent here for a purpose. In the time we have on earth, we are continually working to complete that task, whether it takes 3 months or 121 years. This is where we make the choice to love or not, where we make the decision on our own of whether or not we want something better or worse than this world after our time here is up. For those that choose to love, God takes pride in them. Despite the troubles or hardships they may encounter on earth, they will be rewarded as a proud parent rewards their children.

What a great reminder for any day...you are loved, you are cherished, you are delighted in, you will receive peace, and you are rejoiced in.

Day One in Love

TALK ABOUT HITTING THE GROUND LOVING...

This morning I woke up, stumbled around the house for a bit, then decided to hit up Starbucks and use my birthday reward! It's the one day a year I don't feel bad about ordering a $5.00 pumpkin spice latte...I sat down at tiny table in the corner, pulled out my Bible and a journal, and flipped them both open. 

1 John was the book I decided to explore for the morning! Just a quick little background on this book:

1. It is written by the Apostle John, whom some believe to be the first cousin of Jesus.

2. It was written later in John's life, after the death and resurrection.

3. It is a letter that is written in a way that it may have been circulated to Christians all over the land.

4. It is exactly 3 pages long.

5. In this short 3 page letter, the word "love" is used 43 times.

I spent a good hour reading through John's words, underlining, making notes, reading supplemental information for the chapter, and settled upon a series of verses that paint the exact picture of what I am trying to achieve over the next 365 days:

1 John 4:7-12 "Dear friends, let us love one another for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us...Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us."

Wow...

I could not better articulate the goal of the journey I am on than how a really old guy that loved Jesus with his whole heart did nearly 2000 years ago. I am particularly touched by the phrase: "whoever does not love, does not know God". It seems that now you can find hate any where you look. From terrorist organizations, anti-gay movements, racial groups, political parties, and even within the so called "Christian Community", you will see violence, hate, loathing, judgement, and negativity. 

It has always broken my heart to see groups claiming to be Christian act in such evil ways. I have struggled to defend my faith because of those leaving black marks with their sharpies and protest boards. How can someone claiming to love God, hate their neighbor with such passion? This excerpt from 1 John...this is a smack in the face reminder. No matter what these hateful groups claim, whether Christian extremists, political rebels, violent insurgents...no matter what their words speak, if the do not love others, if their actions illustrate hate, THEY DO NOT KNOW GOD.   

I do not claim to be a perfect Christian or even better than any of my billions of neighbors on this planet. I falter and fall short time and time again, I am a sinner, I am guilty of not always loving my neighbor, but I hope that I can work towards living a better life. I want to live a life where my actions shout: "I know God, I know love".  No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.