I am still processing all of the things God wants me to learn from the mission trip to Ethiopia. Here are a few of the lessons I am wrestling with.
- God’s love and grace is the universal language. It bridges all languages, cultures and ethnicity.
- Sin has created a brokenness in humanity that prevents us from being loving and lovable.
- Jesus is the catalyst of reconciliation, “for God so love the world that he gave his only begotten son.”
- The Holy Spirit is the power that transforms us into loving and lovable people.
- We must daily surrender to Jesus asking him to unleash the love of God and the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives so that today we might be more loving and lovable.
So that has been my prayer for me and that has been my prayer for you in since arriving back in the states.
Love doesn’t mean we condone or turn the other cheek to immoral or sinful behavior. Love doesn’t mean a lack of justice or the ignoring of boundaries. Love doesn’t mean an absence of anger, disappointment or expectation. Love means that when we are offended, or hurt, or turned off by, or disagree with, or can’t relate to another person’s ideas, looks, lifestyle, politic s, beliefs, attitudes or faith we first and foremost see a person that Jesus loved and died for on the cross.
I wonder, how different would be the world, our nation, our communities, our families, St. Matthew, our denomination, and the Church as a whole if we chose to love like we have been loved by Jesus? I wonder, how different would be my life? How different would be your life?
“Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him. This is how we know what love is. Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” I John 2:15-16
I am praying for you. You pray for me.
Peace,
Rick
