FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2022, SPIRITUAL THOUGHTS

 FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2022 SPIRITUAL THOUGHTS

Oh no, I hate to be wrong.  But one of the problems is that I am wrong a lot!!!  

 

I write “LOVE WINS” and I really do believe that.  But, then something pops into my life that kicks me and I want to kick back, I want to throw a “zinger” back at them.  I want to show them how wrong they are.  

 

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails.”

 

From something that happened last weekend I wanted to grab somebody and shake them and correct them.  I was reflecting about it for most of the week and really wanted to say “Hey, don’t do that” to the people I was hearing.  (And (ouch) being very judgmental as well.) 

 

But, I didn’t.  (And, I doubt that it was my will that stopped me -but God’s supernatural love for me.

 

Love is kind - ouch.  I really wanted to be unkind to a few people who were pontificating about a particular subject.  I wanted to say <with a childish taunt> “You need to be like me and learn to love more.” Ouch.  

 

I wanted to dishonor them.  But, I didn’t.  I wanted to throw the big rock at them “If you really were a Christian, <blah blah>”.  

 

There is an old adage “God cleans his fish after He catches them” meaning that He seems to take the undesirable and through the work of the Holy Spirit cleans them up.

 

Sometimes I am so obtuse.  I want in on the action of the world - point and condemn others (because I “know” the truth so well).  

 

“Love never fails”.  

 

Yes, I say “love wins” - but IT CAN NOT BE JUST WORDS - I HAVE TO LIVE IT.  

 

In Romans 7, Paul writes, “For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?”

 

Or in the Gospel story of the lady found in adultery - I’m sure I can throw the first stone - because I am righteous!!!  (tongue-in-cheek - yes, I am so perfect - yes, I am without sin).

 

The last of Romans 7 shows Paul saying “What a wretched man I am”.  

 

While I don’t always agree with the apostle Paul (like women should be silent in church and whether it is proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered), immediately after Paul writes that he is wretched, comes Romans chapter 8, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,”

 

And the glorious end to Romans chapter 8: “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

 

*****

Karen adds her observation - nor anything else in all creation can separate us from the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord - but I sense the only thing that can separate us is our brain - our own lusts and thoughts.  

 

Yup, sometimes I want to play God.  I want to judge, I want to slap those that don’t see. 

 

This whole business about love winning is just hard to do.  

 

*****

There is an Indian story of a grandfather teaching his grandson:

 

“He said, "A fight is going on inside me," he told the young boy, "a fight between two wolves.

 

The Dark one is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego." He continued, "The Light Wolf is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you grandson…and inside of every other person on the face of this earth.”

 

The grandson pondered this for a moment and then asked, "Grandfather, which wolf will win?"

 

The old Cherokee smiled and simply said, "The one you feed".

 

*****

I can choose to feed the anger, the hatred, the lies of the enemy, or I can choose to feed the love, generosity, peace, and joy that comes from God.  

 

*****

 

So, which “wolf” are you feeding today?  The mean vicious one or the loving good one?

 

LOVE WINS (and I must keep that always in the forefront of my life)

 

Karen

Friday, April 8th, 2022