April 15, 2024
April 15, 2024:
Pause. Pray. Read. Be still. Write. Pray. Go about your day or turn in for the night.
Read: 2 John 1:2-6 Live in love
…because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever: Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from[a] Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, in truth and love. I was overjoyed to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we have been commanded by the Father. But now, dear lady, I ask you, not as though I were writing you a new commandment but one we have had from the beginning: let us love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment just as you have heard it from the beginning—you must walk in it.
Be Still: If you were like me and stepped outside to watch the Solar Eclipse last week, I can tell you I felt a deep connection not only with creation but with the thousands of people anticipating the moment of totality in their space in time. I sensed a common bond among fellow watchers, and I confirmed my feelings when I turned on the nightly news and jumped social media later that night. My news feed lit up with so many amazing pictures of people enjoying and witnessing the event.
For an entire day people came together in parking lots, in driveways, in parks, stadiums and church lawns to witness this moment in time. To live in love with others who were equally in awe of the universe as “the heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). What an amazing thing to experience, to hear the laughter, the cheers, the sense of awe and wonder of it all! We let go of the worries, of political divisiveness, and the global turmoil, to live in love.
The introduction to 1, 2, & 3, John in The Message Bible tells us, “The two most difficult things to get straight in life are love and God.” There is so much truth in these words, it hurts. We may believe we have perfected these vital areas in our life, but if we are honest with ourselves, we know daily, we fall short. There is a tremendous difficulty in following the simplest command to live in love.
From the very beginning, Jesus commanded his followers to love each other by conducting every aspect of our lives in love. John Wesley consistently and constantly strove to redeem controversy by adhering to the Spirit of Christian love and patience. While we will never agree on everything in life, nor do we want to. We need to carry differing thoughts and opinions, but when the thoughts and opinions we hold deviate from living in love with others and move toward selfish ambition to achieve power no matter the cost, we have missed the mark of what it means to love.
One of my favorite quotes, which I’ll paraphrase is from John Wesley’s sermon on the Catholic Spirit remains, if we cannot think alike, let us love alike, if it is right in your heart as it is in mine, take my hand my friend, and let us walk together.
May this week be a week of walking hand in hand with someone who thinks differently than you. May love and grace abound in your experiences.
Prayer: God, thank you for your love for your people – may we strive to do our best to live in love every day. Amen.
Together,
We are held, in Christ’s love.
Pastor Kellie