So, forever ago I wrote a part one about worry, and then I attempted and failed to be one of those guys who labels something "part one" without ever making a "part two". So here's the deal, last time I wrote about not being worried, especially in the realm of taking chances and relying on God. This time, we're going to look at why it is so important for us to not be anxious.
Let me make it clear that I am a sinner and a failure in an innumerable number of ways.
Say that you've achieved perfect peace with your station and situation in life. First of all, I doubt it, but the point is that this is often times what we seek. And second of all: Whoopty-doo. So what? I don't say this to condemn you because I am condemning myself in saying this, but the message of God is not that God loves me. It is not that God loves you. The message of God is that the Lord of all loves us all, His entire creation! This is the reason why we have another command other than "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" (Matthew 22:37). Jesus, and the entirety of Scripture, tells us that the second greatest commandment is to "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:39).
What is love? Well it isn't 'like', God doesn't tell us to just be friendly with everybody (Matthew 5:44). (Because we can't always do so: Romans 12:18)
What is love? Well it isn't 'tolerance' God never says that we should accept everything (James 1:27). (Because many things are wrong: 1st John 2:15-16)
What is love? Well it's not -ahem- "making love"
Love is not, "your favorite food for every breakfast, lunch, and dinner"
Love is not receiving everything you ever wanted, nor is it a warm, fuzzy feeling you get.
Love is self-sacrifice-- for humanity, it is obedience. Love is an action that we have the choice to do every moment of every day.
And yes, God loves us. We know this because "God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8), and that "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).
So how do we love God? Jesus tells us that "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him" (John 14:21) In the same way, James says that "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" (James 1:27). Loving God is more than worship music and 'goodwill', and we know this because God says of Himself, "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgement of God rather than burnt offerings" (Hosea 6:6).
To love God is to obey Him, and to obey Him we love Him and love others. Scripture tells us that we are to care for others, and remain separate from the world, but it seems like many times we focus on the latter, and don't live in love.
What does loving your neighbor look like? There is much, much, Scripture about love, but for some quick snapshots: we know that we are to leave selfish ambition behind and care for other (Philippians 2), love is sincere and full of blessing (Romans 12). We also have a great statement on what love looks like in 1st Corinthians 13.
Unfortunately for me, and for everybody, we are unable to choose love every time, because "the spirit is willing, but the body is weak" (Matthew 26:41). We can be reassured that we are not alone because Paul articulates it perfectly: "I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out" (Romans 7:18). At the same time, despite our sinful nature, we cannot just give up: "What then? shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!"(Romans 6:15). We have become servants of God, and even though we fail, we must still love.
This means caring for the sick, giving up our time, money, and worldly 'status'. This means caring for those who don't look like you, and those you don't even like. This means seeing the Gospel spread, and Church-members provided for.
Take heart! and I hope that I may do the same and love others more and more- Praise be to God who loved us first, and may all praise, glory, and honor go to Him for all eternity!
"He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen"- Revelation 22:20-21
