Romans 12:6-13
Today's passage is (yet) another exhortation on how to live. We have the prophets, Moses and the Ten Commandments, Jesus, his life, the two great commandments, the New Testament and lives of countless Saints. Why are we not yet living perfect lives? The examples of us as sheep seem quite reasonable. Easily lead (one way or the other), simple and pleasant. So too is the example of us as a thick headed people. We need to be told over, and over, and over again, just how to live our lives. We need new ways to imagine, new and different voices to explain the truths God wishes us to know. Rather than lament this situation of humanity, perhaps it is simply best to acknowledge it as fact. But we do need to be constantly reminded. We do need to hear the message again. We do need re-imagine ourselves and the words of God. I am the first to say that The Word reveals different messages to us at different times in our life.
I am blessed in that I know the fundamental message that God wishes to impart. That message is the knowledge deep in my marrow and in my heart and mind that I am a loved creation of God. I am not perfect but I am perfectly loved. So are you. This is a core fundamental truth. What I do need to be reminded of is how to respond to the love God has graced me with. The love of my husband and loving him is part of my response to God. A loving, giving, committed relationship. But the response to love is more challenging when I move out beyond the confines of my husband, our children, our friends. The call to love and respect the dignity of others is what we need to be reminded of. We need to grow and constantly be challenged to re-imagine how we can love and respond in a changing world.
Perhaps our need to respond and the fact that we are growing is the reason we need to be constantly reminded of how to love. Perhaps the fact that the Spirit of the living God who is alive and present to us needs to be recognized and responded to by every person in every age. We are static, every changing and ever growing so we need to be ever reminded.
So whether it is an author infused by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, a retreat, time with scripture, walking a labyrinth, weekly services or whatever, we need to put aside the time to be reminded of how loved we are, how special we are and how we can live out that love in our ever changing world.
Today's passage is (yet) another exhortation on how to live. We have the prophets, Moses and the Ten Commandments, Jesus, his life, the two great commandments, the New Testament and lives of countless Saints. Why are we not yet living perfect lives? The examples of us as sheep seem quite reasonable. Easily lead (one way or the other), simple and pleasant. So too is the example of us as a thick headed people. We need to be told over, and over, and over again, just how to live our lives. We need new ways to imagine, new and different voices to explain the truths God wishes us to know. Rather than lament this situation of humanity, perhaps it is simply best to acknowledge it as fact. But we do need to be constantly reminded. We do need to hear the message again. We do need re-imagine ourselves and the words of God. I am the first to say that The Word reveals different messages to us at different times in our life.
I am blessed in that I know the fundamental message that God wishes to impart. That message is the knowledge deep in my marrow and in my heart and mind that I am a loved creation of God. I am not perfect but I am perfectly loved. So are you. This is a core fundamental truth. What I do need to be reminded of is how to respond to the love God has graced me with. The love of my husband and loving him is part of my response to God. A loving, giving, committed relationship. But the response to love is more challenging when I move out beyond the confines of my husband, our children, our friends. The call to love and respect the dignity of others is what we need to be reminded of. We need to grow and constantly be challenged to re-imagine how we can love and respond in a changing world.
Perhaps our need to respond and the fact that we are growing is the reason we need to be constantly reminded of how to love. Perhaps the fact that the Spirit of the living God who is alive and present to us needs to be recognized and responded to by every person in every age. We are static, every changing and ever growing so we need to be ever reminded.
So whether it is an author infused by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, a retreat, time with scripture, walking a labyrinth, weekly services or whatever, we need to put aside the time to be reminded of how loved we are, how special we are and how we can live out that love in our ever changing world.
We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.
Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honour. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. 13Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.
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