By: Feather Forestwalker, July 25, 1999 (published in the church newsletter in August, 1999)

Everyone has a burning issue. Unless one is dead inside, that is. The issue could be homelessness. Child abuse. Child endangerment and all it entails. It could be the environment, waging war on pesticides, over-harvesting of the forests; it could be any of these things and more. Women’s rights, children’s rights, the rights of the elderly, the rights of AIDS patients, the rights of minorities. Human rights, anyone? Whatever the issue, those who are the most vociferous about them are the ones who display the most passion in fighting for, standing up for and generally living, what they believe in.

O, that we Christians could learn from them! Where is our passion in Christ? In winning souls to Jesus? Why do we seem so ashamed of the Gospel of Christ? Why does the Cross seem to stop us from waging our spiritual battle against darkness? Why do we not, as a body, band together with other parts of the body of Christ and really wage a spiritual warfare here on the coast? There are so many lost, hurting people out there. We need, as Christ taught us, to love one another as we love ourselves.

My pastor taught on Sunday, July 25th (1999), from John 15:1-17. It was the very same scripture reference he used on Sunday, June 13, 1999, and again it was cross-referenced with Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing out of selfish conceit, but in humility consider others better than themselves.” I have written on similar subjects before and in reiteration, I add that, in 1 John, chapters 4 & 5, the word “love” appears thirty different times in the New International Version and that’s only from verse seven to verse three of chapter five! (Chapter four ends at verse 21). That’s a lot of references to love! Verse seven reads: ‘Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God.” Verse 12 reads in part, “. . .but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

How DO we love one another? Verses 2-5 of chapter Five says it this way: “This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” So, we see that our belief in Christ is what gives us the ability to love one another. Without Him, we are nothing. Without Him, we cannot love one another, because without Him we are dead to Love.

When we “let go and let God,” we are giving ourselves totally to Him for His work in us. What are the commands of God? Jesus told us: “This is my command: that you love one another.” John 15: 17. Elsewhere He said, ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40, NIV.

How do we love ourselves? In taking the measure of this love, we must keep in mind that this is not self-love of the order that the world gives us to love with. We must measure it by God’s standards and the only way to really do that is through prayer, reading of Scripture and fellowship with other believers. Are we so involved in church organization that we have neglected someone in our midst who might be lonely, needing prayer, a hug, a visit or a simple kind word? I know I have! I have been so busy with my new job and July’s Vacation Bible School teaching, that I couldn’t have offered much to anyone and be real effective as an instrument of the Lord’s. I have come so close to leaving due to burn out, that I decided instead to give it to God and say, “Lord, I sing a song sometimes that says, ‘The joy of the Lord is my strength.’ Please, O, Lord, let it be true in me! Help me, Father, to love others as I love myself. Help me to learn to love all Your people, Lord, and not only those who love me in return. Help me to be, Father in heaven, what You would have me to be. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

May our hearts burn with the Love of Christ, that we might truly shine as His lights in this dark world. Let us love one another and be in Him, what He wants for us to be: His Children.

Would anyone else like to pray with me?