Blog - Do Not Depart

Parenting with Eternity in Mind

February 25, 2016 by Patti Brown 1 Comment

The eternal nature of God is difficult for our finite minds to grasp.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8

God’s nature is eternal, and so is His love. When God wants to emphasize something in His Word He employs repetition. A perfect example of this is in Psalm 136.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Psalm 136:1

Can you guess how many times David repeats “his steadfast love endures forever?” Five? Ten? Actually, he repeats this phrase twenty six times in this one psalm alone!

Eternal Means Forever

Merriam-Webster defines the world eternal as “Having no beginning and no end in time; lasting forever.” There are a number of Hebrew and Greek words that mean eternal; they are also sometimes translated “everlasting.”

When we think about eternity, we usually think about the future – that we will be with God in heaven forever. But eternity encompasses all time – not just the future, but also the past and the present as well.

God told the Israelites:

I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. Jeremiah 31:3b

Jesus’ death on the cross was the culmination of God’s plan to reconcile His people to Him for all time. Those who believe are given the gift of eternal life.

“And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” John 17:3

The eternal love of God in Jesus Christ is a love that is outside of time. While we humans are constrained by time, when we are in Christ, we are able to love in a way that also transcends time.

Eternal Love Includes the Past

God has loved us since the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:3-6). He said of Jeremiah that He knew him before He even formed him (Jeremiah 1:5.)

As parents, we have known our children since the womb. Mothers often note personality traits from in utero. One of my children was very stubborn and refused to turn from a breach position. He has shown himself to be a person of strong convictions. Another child did acrobatics in utero, and now loves to dance.

Our children learn to love because we love them. God is the source of that love (1 John 4:19) – He is love (1 John 4:16)

As children grow, they each become tiny object lessons in the reality of sin nature. I am sure your children have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23!) Yet you continue to love them, just as God loves you.

Christ-like love for our children includes intimate knowledge of their pasts and a focus on forgiveness and guidance.

Eternity is Right Now

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. John 15: 9

Jesus Christ was fully man. A real flesh and blood man, who was held down to earth by the same gravity you and I are. A man who needed to eat, to sleep, to breathe. Yet He was also fully God.

Jesus was in the NOW – fully present and responding in real time to real needs – yet at the same time He was eternal – forever existing, forever acting.

Christ’s love was, and is, both now and forever. When He trod on soil, He loved moment by moment, responding to each need as it came before Him.

Think of the children whom the disciples tried to push away (Mark 10:13-16.) Jesus knew they needed Him in that moment. So He stopped what He was doing and welcomed them. Yet He also knew that their need for Him was forever. Thus He admonished the adults in their lives to let them, and all children to follow, come to Him.

God loves you right now. Exactly where you are, exactly how you look, exactly how you feel. You don’t have to dress up for Him. This is unconditional love. It is the kind of love God calls us to have for our children.

For parents, right now love is love that gets us up every morning to make breakfast for small children, that stops to take a phone call from your college student, that addresses a heart issue in siblings even though it is time for dinner.

Christ-like love for our children means we are willing to put our agendas on hold to love our children as they are, even when it is inconvenient.

Eternal Love Looks to the Future

The most perfect representation of love is Jesus’ death on the cross. He did this so that we could be reconciled to God forever and have a future with Him.

Jesus said

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” John 14:1-3

As parents we want the very best for our children’s futures. We sometimes get distracted, thinking that this has to do with their future work and relationships. It isn’t that these are unimportant, but that we are being short-sighted if that is all we focus on.

Parenting with an eternal perspective means that we are mindful of our children’s hearts. We are thinking about their relationship with God, and digging to understand the root cause of their sin. Eternal love for our children leaves no room for bandaid solutions to problems.

It is a question of perspective. If, as a mother, I am focusing on guiding my child with only today or tomorrow in mind, I will only look at his immediate actions and the immediate results. If he does not put away his toys I might fuss and issue a practical consequence. But if I am parenting with eternity in mind, I look deeper. I ask myself, “What character struggle is going on in this child that is making him choose to be irresponsible in this area? What is the sin here?” While the consequence might be the same, the tone and goal of the corrective conversation changes.

Christ-like love for our children considers their hearts and their relationship with God.

Love Never Ends

Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 1 Corinthians 13:8

Christ-like love thinks about eternity. The past, the present and the future are all bound up in the eternal love of Christ. Parenting with eternity in mind focuses on the heart.

May we love our children with His love!

Christ-like love thinks about eternity. #LoveOneAnother

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Parenting with eternity in mind focuses on the heart. #LoveOneAnother

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Are we in debt to God? – Memorizing Matthew 6:12-13

February 22, 2016 by Lisa Burgess Leave a Comment

Are we in debt to God?

And if so, how could we ever pay that debt?

As we continue memorizing the Lord’s Prayer this week (Matthew 6:12-13), we see Jesus teaching His disciples to ask God to forgive their debts. The Jews frequently called sins, “debts.” So most scholars also view “debts” here as sins.

On our own, we can never undo all the damage our sins create from our disobedience and selfishness and lack of love for God and others.

Since we can’t pay it back (although we can offer restitution to others when possible), we need to be forgiven for it.

We all need God’s forgiveness of our sins on a daily basis. Jesus said to ask for it.

As God releases what we owe because of Christ’s payment for it, it loosens us to also forgive others the moral obligations we could hold over them.

Let’s praise God for our freedom from debt this week as we dwell on Jesus’s words.

[Note: Where’s the rest of the Lord’s Prayer in the ESV? The familiar doxology “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen” is omitted in more modern translations. Because these words aren’t found in the most ancient transcripts, many authorities now dismiss their authenticity and no longer include them. However, the words still ring true and are valuable to know and recite.]

Are we in debt to God? Memorizing #Matthew6 v12-13 #HideHisWord

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Unfailing Love through Illness or Special Needs

February 18, 2016 by Caroline Leave a Comment

“It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” – 1 Corinthians 13:7-8 (NIV)

When you love someone with special needs or illness (or are living with a chronic condition of your own), you know how much energy and love it takes to provide care (or self-care).

Sometimes you’re just tired. Frustrated. The opposite of unfailing.

God gives His unfailing love so we can share it with others and all it includes. His love is action. His love is divine. His love is unfailing.

Unfailing love is about protection, trust, perseverance, and hope.

Unfailing Love Protects

“How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.” – Psalm 36:7 (NIV)

If you’re a parent or caretaker of any kind, you know that deep need to protect those you love.

You cover outlets to protect little fingers from exploring where they shouldn’t.
You teach safety when riding a bike.
You guide in critical thinking to protect from reckless choices.

In the special needs world, you might do this by providing healthy sensory input to channel wild energy, choosing homes best suited for mobility challenges, avoiding crowds and locations at certain times of year to protect against respiratory infections.

You protect because you love. Just as God protects us in so many more ways because He loves.

But what if you can’t protect your loved one from degenerating medical conditions, from physical challenges, from self-harm?

Unfailing Love Trusts

“But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.” – Psalm 13:5 (NIV)

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.” – Psalm 143:8 (NIV)

We can’t really control much in our lives, but we can trust. And that trust brings joy and guidance.

Trusting God and His plan frees us up to love more and deeper. Trusting helps us not have to ask, “Does God even care?” Instead, we can trust He’s an active God, which allows us to love with the gifts He’s given us as much as we can.

Unfailing Love Perseveres

“Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.” – Psalm 36:5 (NIV)

When caring for anyone with special needs or chronic illness (or dealing with those chronic conditions yourself), perseverance is a necessity.

You can’t take medication just one day and expect to be well.
You can’t go to one therapy session and expect years of progress.
You can’t ignore doctor’s advice and expect the conditions to disappear.

Living with special needs or illness requires a perseverant love.

God’s love reaches to the heavens and beyond what we can see or imagine. His love spreads over us even as we’re trying the twentieth communication device, the fifth heart medication, or the seventh new developmental therapy. God loves in it, through it, and after it. And we can love by persevering by Him and those we care for.

Unfailing Love Hopes

“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion, says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.'” – Lamentations 3:21-24

In all of this protecting, trusting, persevering, we also love with hope.

Hope in love’s reach, hope in coming restoration, hope in Him.

Why?

Because God’s mercies never end.

Because His faithfulness always lasts.

Because His hand is always there to offer another dose of hope — through His word and through His people — just when we need it.

How do have you seen (or experienced) His unfailing love in circumstances of illness or special needs?

4 things unfailing love does when we #LoveOneAnother:

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Unfailing love is hard, especially with special needs or illness. 4 truths:

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Love Your Spouse Like Jesus Would – With a Forgiving Love

February 16, 2016 by Lindsey 1 Comment

Valentine’s Day was last weekend. Though it’s supposed to be a day when we celebrate love, for many of us, it becomes a day of disappointment instead.

For the past couple of weeks, we’ve been talking about how to love one another as Christ loves us. Today, I wanted to share some thoughts on how we can love our spouse like Christ loves us, especially when he might not deserve it.

How to Love Like Jesus with a Forgiving Love:

Jesus loves us with a forgiving love.

There were many times he taught on the importance of forgiveness.

For instance, in Matthew 6:14-15, he said this: “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

In Matthew 18:21-22, “Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.'”

Passages like these make it clear that Jesus thought forgiveness was incredibly important. But there are two other passages that I think make an even greater impact. These two passages don’t just tell us what Jesus thought about forgiveness; they show us.

Jesus’ Extravagant Forgiveness:

In John 8:3-11, the religious leaders of the day brought before Jesus a woman caught in adultery. Picture this scene with me. She was caught in the act. That means that she might not have had time to put any of her clothes back on before they dragged her out of the house. Maybe they let her grab a sheet to cover herself up…maybe.

I’m sure she was humiliated and ashamed. She might have held her eyes on the ground, unwilling to make eye contact with Jesus.

Jesus’ response to this woman wasn’t what anyone expected.

He didn’t condemn her, judge her, or shame her. Instead, he loved her.

Here’s what he said in verses 10 and 11: “‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, sir,’ she said. ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.'”

Jesus loved this woman with a forgiving love. He forgave her when she deserved judgment. He loved her with she didn’t deserve it.

In Luke 23:33-34, when Jesus was hanging on the cross, he showed another example of forgiving love.

“When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.'”

Jesus forgave the very people who put him to death-as he was dying!

That’s the kind of forgiving love He wants us to show our spouses.

Our spouses are going to let us down. They are going to disappoint us. They are going to do things that make us think they don’t deserve forgiveness. And sometimes, maybe they don’t.

But the truth is, we don’t deserve forgiveness from Jesus either and he gives it anyway.

Jesus doesn’t forgive us because we deserve it; He forgives us because He loves us.

We forgive our spouses for the same reason…because we love them.

So if your Valentine’s Day left you feeling let down and discouraged, choose to forgive today. Not because your spouse necessarily deserves your forgiveness, but because you want to love like Jesus did.

Love your spouse like Jesus would-with a forgiving love #LoveOneAnother via @LindseyMBell

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Jesus doesn’t forgive us because we deserve it; He forgives us because He loves us. #LoveOneAnother

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The Lord’s Prayer or Ours? – Memorizing Matthew 6:9-11

February 15, 2016 by Lisa Burgess 4 Comments

In Matthew 6, Jesus not only told His followers how not to pray (not like the hypocrites; not to be seen by others; not with empty phrases), but He also told them how to pray.

While we don’t have to use these exact words every time we talk to God (Jesus didn’t!), we can use this pattern of what we call “The Lord’s Prayer” to frame our own conversations with God.

This week we’re memorizing Matthew 6:9-11. Here Jesus begins his prayer with:

Praising God’s holy name,
Declaring that His kingdom and will be done, and
Asking that daily needs be met.

Can we include these elements into our own prayers this week?

The Lord’s Prayer or Ours? Memorizing #Matthew6 v9-11 #HideHisWord

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On what occasions do you pray the Lord’s Prayer? Please share in the comments.

4 Ways to Love Someone with Dementia or Alzheimer’s, like God Loves Us

February 11, 2016 by Lisa Burgess 29 Comments

When my mom was in her 50s, she would have sleepovers for the grandkids. She would host huge family meals. She would go to lunch with friends.

But in her 60s, she began wondering how to use the remote control, forget who a cousin was, and make list after list to remember what to do tomorrow.

By her 70s, she was in full-blown Alzheimer’s.

As the disease progressed and her dependence increased, Mama refused to acknowledge she needed help. For the first time ever, I saw her being rude to the girl we brought in to cut her hair, fire a caregiver we had hired to help around the house, and urge us to go back to our own homes because she didn’t need a “babysitter.”

The ways we were trying to love her were only making her more anxious.

How do we love someone who is no longer the same? We have to change, too.

Here are 4 ways we can adapt to a loved one with dementia in ways that benefit them, from examples of how God loves us. [Please add more ways in the comments!]

1. Stay in the moment

I tend to quickly jump from now to future plans, or from now to what I did yesterday. But people with Alzheimer’s are slower to transition between time zones, and may eventually lose that capacity altogether. They live most comfortably in this moment.

So when with them, stay in this moment with them. Be present to what’s happening now. Look at the flowers, talk about the color of their clothes, taste the food at their table. Jesus said that each day is sufficient in itself (Matthew 6:34). “No procrastination. No backward looks. You can’t put God’s kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day” (Luke 9:62, The Message).

2. Do things with, not just for

We all want to feel useful, regardless of our capacities. Jesus allowed and encouraged participation in His own ministry, such as letting Peter throw in the nets to catch the fish (Luke 5:4). So when possible, make things easier for your loved one to feel they’re still lending a hand as well, not just watching from the sidelines as you make all their decisions.

Guide them toward their toothbrush and toothpaste, but let them handle the rest on their own. Pare down their wardrobe so they can manage their choices about what to wear. Let them help you fold the towels, even if you have to redo the job later.

3. Listen deeply

When has God ever interrupted your prayers? He listens attentively (Psalm 34:15), even when we babble on and on. We can give that same gift of deep listening to our loved one, even when they aren’t making sense either.

One of the women in assisted living with my mom would speak in long paragraphs, using big words that were jumbled together. Once we realized she only wanted to be heard, instead of us anxiously trying to decipher her meaning, we listened differently and all enjoyed our “conversations” much more.

4. Let them know they bring you joy

If there’s an overarching feeling God wants us to get from His love, it’s that He takes pleasure in us, just as we are, because we are His children (Zephaniah 3:17). We’re not His pet projects; we’re His prize family. If we can convey that same sense of joy to our loved one with dementia—in whatever way they can best receive it—we’re giving them a priceless gift.

Who doesn’t want to feel valued? Letting someone know that they make us happy, regardless of their illness, is a beneficial contribution to their own happiness as well.

On one of the last days of my mother’s life, I watched my brother brush Mama’s hair, wash her face, place her in a more comfortable position. They were minor details that she may not have been aware of, but I’m certain she was aware of what they meant: she was being loved.

That’s the only thing that mattered.

My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other.
1 John 4:11 (The Message)

What would you add to the list? How do you show love to someone with dementia? Please share in the comments.

4 Ways to Love Someone with Dementia or Alzheimer’s #LoveOneAnother

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Love Serves: Showing Christ’s Love on Valentine’s Day

February 9, 2016 by Patti Brown 1 Comment

Help your children make this Valentine's Day be about more than cards and chocolate - show Christ's love by serving others.

I started seeing the hearts two weeks before Christmas, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. Yes, in the middle of December, there they were – store shelves lined with Valentine’s Day cards and candy.

Valentine’s Day is one of those “holidays” that if you are a little bit cynical you might suspect is more commercial than anything. Another way for card and candy companies to make money, right?

But encouraging our children to love others is part of our privilege and responsibility as Christian parents. They live in a culture where people celebrate Valentine’s Day. How do we help them respond as believers?

While there is nothing in the bible that says we should celebrate Valentine’s Day (and nothing that says we shouldn’t,) there certainly is a lot in God’s Word about love. Every day is the perfect day to show others the love of Christ, and February 14 is no exception!

Make this Valentine’s Day be about more than slips of pre-printed paper and chocolate (as fun as those are.) Involve your family in really reaching out to love others!

Love Serves

Love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:39
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. James 1:22

Show your children by example that love is a lot more than a feeling. Christlike love takes action!

Bake heart shaped cookies for local service people, like policemen, firemen, nurses, and deliver them.
Give service coupons to family members (“I will take the trash out on your day,” “I will give you a five minute foot rub,” etc.)
Bless a physically challenged neighbor by doing their yard work.

Love Encourages

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Our words have a profound impact. Encouraging words help others to see themselves as God sees them.

Cut out enough paper hearts for each person to have one for every member in the family, not including themselves. On each heart write something you love about one of the people in your family. You can use different colored hearts to signify each person. We like to attach the hearts to a hanging plant to make a cheerful love decoration.
Go around the table at dinner, taking turns speaking encouragement into one another lives – what you see that God is doing with them, how He has gifted them, etc.

Love Creates

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands! Psalm 90:17

We were made in the image of our creator God. Encourage your family members to use their gifts to create beautiful things to bless others.

Put together little gifts with love scriptures like these from Not Consumed to give out at school or in the neighborhood
Create a special meal to deliver to an elderly couple so they can enjoy a Valentine’s date at home.
Decorate your house with scriptures about love (here are some to start you off.)

Love Rejoices

“Rejoice always” 1 Thessalonians 5:16

Those who love enjoy simply being together. Love rejoices in time shared and in deepening relationship.

Spend time together as a family outside enjoying God’s creation.
Pick up someone you know who is homebound and take them on an outing.

There are so many ways that you and your children can live love this Valentine’s Day (and every day!) I am sure God will show you exactly where He wants you to serve and love – just ask Him!

Make this Valentine’s Day be about more than cards and chocolate. #LoveOneAnother #LetTheChildrenCome

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Love is more than a feeling. Christlike love takes action! #LoveOneAnother #LetTheChildrenCome

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Love One Another - Learning to Love Others As Christ Loves us. How did Christ love? Sacrificially, faithfully, passionately, beneficially, etc... Read more at DoNotDepart.com

When We’re Afraid to Pray Aloud – Memorizing Matthew 6:7-8

February 8, 2016 by Lisa Burgess 6 Comments

Are you scared to pray aloud?

For many, praying in front of others is akin to public speaking, one of their great fears. We’re afraid we’ll fumble our words; we’ll lose our train of thought; we’ll sound stupid.

Most of those fears are based on what? Fear of what other people will think about us.

But in our memory verses this week, Jesus says that praying aloud isn’t about being heard by men; it’s about being heard by God.

And one fear we need never have is thinking God will miss our message. Even before we say the words, and no matter how inarticulate we may phrase them, God already knows what we mean.

Regardless of whether we mumble or mess up or zone out, God hears our hearts and He is ready to answer our needs.

That’s one more blessing we can praise Him for!

Are you afraid to pray aloud? Memorizing #Matthew6 v7-8 #HideHisWord

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How often do you pray in front of others? What scares you about it? What helps you? Please share in the comments.

Love Your Family with the Selfless Love of Jesus

February 4, 2016 by Ali Shaw Leave a Comment

Why does it matter to Jesus that we love one another as He loved us? (John 13:34, John 15:12)

Jesus desires that we be like Him. But the end result isn’t only our own sanctification; He wants us to be like Him to grow His body.

God is a God of relationships.

After all, he exists as Father, Son, and Spirit… The Holy One exists as three persons… That’s relationship. He shows us from the core of His character that He values relationships and wants us to value them, too.

Jesus always made time for people: to listen to concerns, heal the sick, comfort the mourning, teach the curious, and even to admonish the hardhearted. He made time.

He was selfless.

In both Matt 14:13-16, and Mark 6:31-37, Jesus had just been told the news of John the Baptist’s beheading. Jesus sought time alone to grieve and time to rest with His disciples. Instead, He was followed by crowds who were hungry for His attention, His teaching, His miracles, and even hungry for food.

So, He stopped to meet the crowd’s needs and modeled selflessness to His disciples. He taught that even when we’re tired, grieving, when life has demanded our attention, or distraction has taken over our minds, we must keep focus on the things that matter most. Loving others.

A Good Question to Ask: What matters most?

Sometimes, I really have to stop and ask myself if I’m being selfless with those He’s placed in my life. Too often, the answer is no. (I have a lot of growing to do before I can claim that I’m like Jesus.)

Do you struggle with selflessness, too? If so, how do we overcome it?

Honestly, I’m not sure we ever completely will. Until our last day on this earth, we’ll be fighting our sin nature. But, rather than give up hope, we need to fight against sin and take up the weapons God has given us to do it.   Love is a powerful weapon. Selfless love is what drove Jesus to feed those hungry crowds, die for us, and redeem our lives from the pit.

Selfless love for my family asks, “What matters most?”, and puts their needs above my selfish tendencies.

Selfless love…

gets my little one a glass of milk, even when I’m in the middle of an intricate crochet project
helps me stay up late to greet my oldest as she comes home from work, even when I’m exhausted
reminds me to put a smile on my face when my husband comes in after his long commute, even if I’ve had a bad day
says it’s ok to have that bad day and let it go— no need to burden others with what I can handle myself
keeps my mouth shut when my teen really just needs me to just be a good listener
encourages me to pamper my sick and miserable child, even when I have the same virus

You get the idea.

And, yay! for those moments of victory! But there are too many times when, with my actions, I’ve said, “I don’t feel selfless right now. Sorry, not sorry.”

There are times when I don’t get off the couch, don’t put down my phone, don’t stay up and wait, don’t keep my mouth shut, complain instead of smile, and whine selfishly when I’m sick. (And worse, I’m sure!)   But, those moments aren’t Kingdom-building. They don’t convey the importance Jesus puts on relationships. They don’t say, “I value you above myself!” (Phil 2:3)

Those failed opportunities don’t teach my children what selfless love looks like so they can show it to the world. They certainly don’t edify my husband or myself.

The Remedy

What’s the remedy? It’s super simple, but so hard to do… the answer of course, is to keep doing love. (That’s what Jesus did!)

It comes down to the heart and discipline. We must pray for God to root out all selfishness in our hearts, then pray for the discipline to actively practice loving one another. It’s definitely a lifelong learning process, and even though (like I mentioned before) we may never love one another perfectly, God has promised us His help. It’s our duty to pursue it and place the utmost importance on it.

And He will help us to love one another well.

What does selfless love look like in your home? Do you struggle with loving selflessly like Jesus?  What helps you overcome?

What matters most? Learning to love your family selflessly. Like Jesus does. #LoveOneAnother

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What does selfless love look like? Jesus shows the answer… #LoveOneAnother

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Love One Another – Learning to Love Others as Christ Loves Us

February 2, 2016 by Ali Shaw Leave a Comment

Back in November, we did a series called “Since God so Loved Us”, where we dove into 1 John 4. We looked at how deeply God loves us and how His love changes our lives.

This month we’re going delve even deeper into the love of Christ and how our love should be modeled after His. It’s easy to look around and see examples of worldly love— love that seeks the giver’s best (rather than the receiver’s) and the giver’s personal fulfillment. Selfish love is loud and abounds in our culture. But Christ’s love is powerful and gracious— and is exactly what we’re supposed to copy.

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. – John 15:9-13

So, what are the attributes of Christ’s love? His love for us is sacrificial, merciful, faithful, eternal, passionate, unrelenting, beneficial, trustworthy, forgiving…. and, oh, how the beautiful list goes on! (Are you feeling pretty loved right now?)

And Jesus told us that if we are in Him, we need to love one another as He loved us. (John 13:34-35)

So, how can we love the people in our lives sacrificially, mercifully, and so on? What does that really look like in messy day-to-day living? What does that mean when we’re scrubbing the toilet, guiding children, cooking dinner, meeting deadlines at work, caring for our elders…? What does this love look like in all our various roles… like Christian woman, wife, mom, grandma, teacher, mentor, friend, neighbor, caregiver…?

This month we want to really go deep and learn from Christ. We want to learn to be Christlike women who love as He loved— in all of our roles. Our love will never be as perfect as His (because He is perfect by nature), but we are commanded to do it anyway. And because He will never leave us, nor forsake us, He will strengthen and enable us to love better than we ever thought we could!

Ready to take this journey with us?

Love One Another: Learning to Love Others as Christ Loves Us… new series @DoNotDepart

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What are the attributes of Christ’s love, and how can we model our love after His? Learn with us!

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