The Best Valentine's Day

You want to know what my True Love sent to me?  Really; really?

We always want proof of stuff people say.   We want a person to declare their love and we want that love to be all encompassing.  We want that love to be enduring.  We want that love to be kind and gentle and patient.

Well, I'll tell you about my True Love's proof of love and allegiance which He exhibited to perfection.  This True Love is not just for me either.  It is for each and every one of us.  Listen to this:

"God demonstrated (proved) His love to us in this, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8).

God so loved us, He sent His One and Only Son to die for us so none of us would perish if we welcome and accept what Jesus, our True Love, has done for us in securing forgiveness of sins, and everlasting life for us.

His love endures forever (Psalms 136, 118, 100:5; 1 Chronicles 16:24; 2 Chronicles 20:21).

His everlasting arms surround us (Deuteronomy 32:27).  

 Everlasting.  His love and allegiance to us is tenacious.  You want forever love?  He has it.  He gives it.  He is Love!

You want to know the characteristics of His love?  Read 1 Corinthians 13.

My True Love has patience; is patience personified.  He has waited for you and me for more than 2000 years for us to accept His loving gift of salvation. 

 "He is not willing that any should perish, but all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:8-10 esp vs 9).

How many individuals do you know who would wait much longer than 5-20 mins, and that's pushing it, for you?  Those are those who say they love you.  Think of God's love and how patient it is.

My True Love is kind.  He knows and remembers we are but human beings formed of dust (Psalm 103:14).  Thus His patience with us too.  Let's take a look though at the meaning of 'kind,' as an adjective, according to Cambridge's English Dictionary which I found on-line.  It says that a kind person is "generous, helpful, and thinks of other people's feelings..."  Couple that with the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary which goes on to say that "kind people do things to help others and show that they care about them."

God's kindness and compassion is shown when we look at what Jesus did that time with the feeding of the 4000.  He'd spent a good part of three days healing the crowds of their diverse ailments and/or handicaps.  The disciples had had enough already.  They were tired.  Perhaps they'd had enough of crowds for one day, let alone the three.  I, for one, have trouble being in a crowd for any length of time and so can understand that.  Here was a 4000 man-strong crowd, not to mention the addition of women and children also in attendance.

The disciples were ready to send them all on their way.  Another thing is, that this particular crowd were likely a Gentile crowd.  and you know that the disciples were of Jewish descent.  So there could have been an added element of impetus in their saying, "Come on Jesus, send them home."

But Jesus had compassion on that crowd; the kindness and true love of the Savior impels Him to go that second (or was it tenth or more) mile for these specimens of humanity.

Three days with little to no food.  They were in a remote place.  Jesus said the people would likely

 "collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance" (Mark 8:3).

Most of us know this story in which you can refresh your memories thereof with reading the account either from Matthew 15:29-39 or Mark 8:1-8.  There were seven loaves and "a few small fish" (Matthew 15:34).  Jesus multiplied all those, enough to feed that multitude and to have lots of leftovers.  What generous kindness He bestowed upon mankind that day.  This is my True Love.

Although Jesus was born into a poor family we do not see that He envied others.  "Love...does not envy."  (1 Corinthians 13:4).  The Son of Man had no where to lay His head (Luke 9:58).  He came from the splendors of Heaven to live a carpenter pauper's life.  He did this out of love and submission to His Father, God, and out of love for His creatures, the human beings.  That is True Love.

"Love...does not boast, it is not proud."  (1 Cor 13:4).  When you read the four gospels:  Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, you discover just how humble and meek Jesus is.  He never shouted out, "Hey, you guys, better listen up!  I came from heaven.  Heaven paved with streets of gold; I have angels worshiping Me.  Me!  So, you all better..."

No.  He was humble.  He submitted to His Father's will.  Philippians 2:4-9, esp vs 7 & 8 says, "He made Himself nothing...and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled Himself..."  This is my True Love in action.

"Love...is not rude, it is not self-seeking..." (1 Cor 13:5).  Jesus walked hundreds of dusty miles from Galilee to Judea and back, more than once.  He was not seeking a good life of leisure or luxury.  He was using His time, energy, and effort, in submission to God His Father, for the benefit of mankind.  His ultimate sacrifice, of course, was to die for all mankind.  Jesus death and resurrection was for the "whosoever" we read of in John 3: 16. 

This so that all humankind may have Jesus as their True Love; forgiveness of sins and eternal life.  This so that all may come to Him.  You can be His:  heart, soul and mind.  This is True Love in action. 

Jesus showed anger at hypocrisy and especially at the defiling of His Father's House.  They had made the "house of prayer into  a "robber's den" and "marketplace" (Matthew 21:13-17 & John 2:13-22).

1 Corinthians 13:5 tells us that "Love...is not easily angered".  I don't believe that Jesus one day suddenly got angry upon seeing those 'peddlers' in the temple house of prayer.  He'd grown up seeing that scenario on a daily basis.  He saw and knew how grievous it was; not only were they desecrating His Father's House of prayer which is totally terribly awful, but they were also cheating and dishonest hawkers.  Hawkers who were subjugating true worshipers and maligning them as they wished to make their sacrifices and offerings to God according to prescribed Old Testament commands and this out of their love and gratitude to God.  How perverted were those religious leaders to allow those hawkers to line their pockets in such a preposterous manner!

Jesus, Son of God, was "angry but sinned not" (Ephesians 4:26).  Also that He was not easily angered in His action of setting things right as you can read in the Matthew and John accounts of the incident of Jesus clearing the temple of these "robbers".  This too, is yet another characteristic of Jesus, my True Love.

"Love...keeps no record of wrongs..." (1 Cor 13:5).  You can see, yet again, from Jesus our perfect example, of how He addressed the religious leaders of His time.  When He observed the "wrongs", He addressed them.  This you can also ascertain from the above clearing the temple court chronicle.

He did not keep the wrong in His heart to fester with bitterness as many of us do with our loved ones' or even church members' misdemeanors.  No, He would confront out of love for what was good and honest and most importantly, pleasing to His Father, God.  Would that we too would follow His example with "love in action".   

This ties in well with what comes next in 1 Cor 13.  Verse 6 states, "Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth."  Jesus spoke out, mostly at the convoluted practices of the Pharisees, and other religious leaders.  Jesus spoke kind words to the crowds; explaining many things to them and the disciples in parables and stories.  In all those accounts we don't read recordings of such things as gossip.  My True Love did not engage in such; this out of His love for people, out of His goodness and kindness.

"Love...always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."  (1 Cor 13:7).  Jesus, persevered all the way to the cross.  He went through with the agony of the physical pain and endured the excruciating separation from his Father God when my sin, and the whole of mankind's sin was placed on Jesus.

God is holy.  Sin separates us from God.  Jesus did this to protect us from God's wrath.  He took the penalty for my sin and yours.  He did this to make atonement available to the "whosoever" (John 3:16).  This is my True Love in action.

"Love never fails" (1Cor 13:8).  One of my favorite Bible verses comes from Zephaniah 3:5 (KJV).  "He faileth not..."  God's love for me will never fail.  By contrast we hear of so much divorce in the world even among Christians who haven't persevered in their marriages or perhaps haven't truly understood the nature of true love.  Jesus's love will never fail.  He is the same yesterday, and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:80).  Praise God for this.  This is Jesus, my True Love.

This is, indeed that which characterizes the love.  Not wishy-washy sentiments of human love that may not stand up to the tests of life but love that issues from God, Himself.  "God is love" (1 John 4:8, 16).

If we "dwell in God" we too will have this kind of substantial, sustaining love  as described in 1 Corinthians 13.  God's Holy Spirit indwells all who have accepted Jesus sacrifice of atonement for our sins and souls.  His Holy Spirit can help us to show out this type of true love.  This is what my True Love sent to me.

Here's hoping all readers of this article will personally come to know my True Love, Jesus, for yourselves.   You will truly have the best Valentine's Day ever then, and His gift of that day will last forever.

                  Happy Best Valentines Day!

                                                       ~ERC  2017~

Beware of Dogs

Remember Dr. Seuss and his blue dogs, red dogs, yellow dogs, etc book called Go, Dog, Go!?  Well, I just looked it up and, oops, it wasn't Dr. Seuss who wrote that one but a P. D. Eastman;  anyway, a similar writing style.  It was one of my favorite books as a child.  Fun books.

The apostle Paul of the Bible also wrote about dogs, but not in such a humorous style.  He was warning against 'dogs'.  

In Philippians 3:2, 3 he says,

"Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh..."

 or as the KJV puts it...

 "Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers..."

In Paul's context he was talking about those people who were thinking they were just a little bit better than others because they were following the Jewish laws.  Paul sarcastically goes on to say, he had great "reasons to put confidence in the flesh" because he had an excellent record of following very precisely all that old way of relating to God.  He was the "top of the class, valedictorian" type and he could rightfully flaunt his pedigree; a Ph. D., if you will, in all of that.

All this would be a stirring up of things and causing dissension among the people of God whose goal should rather have been that of pleasing God...  

"...To glory in Christ Jesus." (vs 3).

The Israelites were to consider dogs as 'unclean' animals.  In Bible times dogs were looked down upon and were definitely not of the pampered and petted caliber of today's North American, almost idolization, of their pet pups.   

Ellen White, Ph. D. (in Hebrew Bible) tells us that in those ancient times the dogs usually ran wild and in packs.  They were scavengers and "exhibited predatory behavior". 

Some did look like this poor fellow

With this in mind you can see Paul's point regarding those who would like to stir up strife among the brethren.

Once upon a time quite some years ago, I too experienced unpleasant encounters with the canine species.  Dogs that were, way back then, not very well kept.  This is what happened.

Walking down a certain street in K on my way to the market and back, I'd be deep in thought or singing merrily to myself, enjoying life and the surrounding creation of early morning excursions.  All of a sudden, one, two or even at times, three or more, beasts of that canine family would rush out, snarling and/or barking ferociously a couple of feet from my ankles.  Startled from reverie or abruptly halted in song, ones immediate reactions were to S-C-R-E-A-M; run, &/or attempt to bash those dogs with purse, grocery bags...anything...

The proximity of the canine's canines and the imagining of the teeth-in-human flesh concept was the greatest fear.  Oh, that and not to mention rabies....

Repeat occurrences conditioned me (me, not Pavlov's dogs; how ironic), to carry an umbrella, rain or shine each journey.  During times of attack I learned to stand still, swing said umbrella, pray, and order the dog(s) away.  I learned to be wary before taking the plunge down the street.  The checklist had to be checked:  Which gates are closed?  Are they the ones with problem dogs?  Are there any dogs already on the street?  Then proceed with caution.

If dogs appear en route, then cross to other side with all "weapons" primed for action.  Also do not forget to continue to expect a rear flank attack.  The slightest rustle of grass must be investigated.

Although the actual encounters were few I was taking no risks and through these episodes would try to fathom--"Lord, what do you want me to learn from this!?"

The attacks could either be predicated or come by surprise, so the defense was WARINESS, or as Paul put it, "BEWARE!"  The Lord brought to my attention "the dogs" that would inhibit spiritual growth.  Such dogs as:  unforgiveness that breeds bitterness, anger, hate; irritations (things others do that tick one off) and that breeds criticism, malice and slander instead of patience and forbearance and praise and love of others; pride (in anything, even Bible knowledge); a getting instead of a giving, grateful spirit; the list could go on. 

What Paul was getting at with the Philippians' 'dogs' was legalistic dogma (pun intended) that had to be put to sleep; for good.   Enough of putting "confidence in the flesh".  We would do well to take heed of that as well.

Be encouraged, my brothers and sisters in Christ to identify your "dogs", to be wary of them; use your "weapons" (the Word of God which you have memorized and meditated upon).  Ask the Lord to help you through the Holy Spirit who indwells you and remember to put no confidence in the flesh. 

 Remember 1 Corinthians 10:12 which says..

"Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall..."

Desire total riddance, no matter which 'breed' the "dog" represents.  The "beware of, or watch out for, dogs" lesson has been physically ingrained in me, thanks to those mangy mongrel mutts and even classy purebred canines that were allowed freedom to roam.  Let the Lord use this little 'picture' to help us in our spiritual life , to understand and deal with the "dogs" that prevent our growth and personal communion with the Lord.  Beware of dogs!

                        ~ERC  2017~

                      (Originally written July 1988)