"By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned"
II Corinthians 6:6
Valentines Day--what a holiday! It is ostensibly all about love, but our culture does not know what love is. This verse speaks of love unfeigned, that is, authentic love; and the context of this verse is ministry. Paul and his companions faithfully ministered because they authentically loved people. They did not love people for what they received from them. They did not say they loved people to gain their trust. They did not love people because the people were wonderful. They loved people because God loves people.
Love is not an emotional high. Love is action, a conscious choice to deny oneself and act in the best interests of another. Love is a Christian taking a meal to another family who have just lost a loved one. Love is a sleep-deprived mother patiently getting up in the night to care for a crying child. Love is a husband tenderly caring for the needs of his wife long after she has forgotten who he is. Whom have you authentically loved this week?
Pastor Scott Dean
God has been very good to us. We have a tendency to focus on the negative and notice all the things that we lack rather than to see all the gifts that God has given us.
When we experience the vanity that is life without God, do we return to the God who loves us?
Rest comes from rejecting responsibilities that God does not intend for us and accepting God's yoke for us.
The answer to America's social ills is God's grace and Christian love.