LOVE WINS! I know it doesn't always look like it , but there is nothing that I believe in more than those two words. Why? Two reasons.
The first is biblical. When I read beneath the surface of the stories in the Bible I see a thread that ties all the biblical stories together. In the beginning God's love is seen in creating a beautiful world, paradise. In the middle God's love is seen in Jesus loving everyone, regardless. In the end God's love is seen in making all the crooked paths straight and restoring the world back to paradise. It began in a garden, Jesus encountered God's love and strength in a garden to face a cruel world, and the end of the story is set in a garden where heaven and earth are joined as one.
The second is practical. Whenever I opt to not love, I create a mess of my life and those around me. However, when I choose to love, as hard as it is at times, then God's love changes me from the inside out and instead of creating messes, I create opportunities for love to win.
I don't know of a more important message to share than love wins. Last week I quoted Brian McLaren on how important love was to Jesus. I have heard several positive comments about it and so I want to include it here.
Of the many radical things said and done by Jesus, his unflinching emphasis on love was the most radical of all. Love was the greatest commandment ...
his prime directive—love for God, for self, for neighbor, for stranger, for alien,
for outsider, for outcast, and even for enemy, as he himself modeled.
The new commandment of love meant that neither beliefs nor words,
neither taboos, systems, structures nor the labels that enshrined them mattered most. Love decentered everything else; love relativized everything else;
love took priority over everything else—everything.
Love decenters everything! That's why I believe love wins. Even when I don't see it in the news or in the behavior of others I still believe it. How about you?
This Sunday we will be talking about love winning, on earth as it does in heaven.
I hope you can come and join the conversation. How about inviting a friend?
Again, we all need this message now, more than ever before. Linger Longer is going to be great. A Hot Chocolate Bar and an opportunity to write valentines to residents at Heritage Hall and our brothers and sisters living on the street in DC.
This week I want to highlight
TREK to Reconnect
.
This is a new way to be together during Linger Longer. We will be offering it once a month. You will both love and be inspired by participating.
