Love anyway
"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8
No matter how edifying I've tried, speaking life instead of death, I've come to realize if people are broken, it is hard for them receive the love you give so freely. But love anyway. That's what Jesus did.
For some, loving is tough as there stands the risk of getting hurt when love is offered with a sincere heart.
However, that's self-preservation, and isn't selfless.
In the moment, Mother Teresa’s paradox is hard for me to understand. When my love is pushed and challenged, the last thing I want to do is love more.
And while these moments, these tests of love can be painful, the hurt is temporary. The hurt is short-lived, relatively speaking. The hurt will eventually dissipate once we decide the person we choose to love is worth Jesus dying for, and then we choose to die to ourselves. Even our feelings of hurt.
If we push past what we feel, if we let go of our own expectations of others, and love them in spite of ourselves, then we can learn to love even more.
Micah 6:8, to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with the Lord.
I began to wonder the possibility of being just and merciful altogether. How is that even possible?!
I find myself conflicting between the two. As my eyes are opened to the brokenness of this world, I've cried out to God upon injustice, for His wrath to come upon those who inflicted hurts, causing tormented pain upon people. Yet, I find myself repenting and praying for mercy upon these people who know not what they are doing, who are equally broken as well. I was reminded of David, who prayed for God's wrath upon his enemies. Moments later, he asked God for forgiveness and to search his heart. The cycle repeats...
The problem with the above objections is that I don’t take into account who defines what is justice. If it is God, then it could be argued, and I think reasonably so, that God’s definition of justice may include an escape clause for those who sincerely repent.
If such is the case, then God could be both perfectly merciful and perfectly just. His justice is perfectly applied to everyone, and His mercy is perfectly applied to those who have repented under that system of justice. Ergo, mercy is no longer a suspension of justice, because extending mercy is a part of justice.
Our earthly systems of justice operate in much the same way, as we often extend mercy to those who have shown remorse for their crimes.
And this explanation also seems to sync with the Bible, since God is said to be perfectly just in all His ways (Deut 32:4), yet it never promises perfect mercy to all people.
God's justice and mercy is unfathomable.. He is all just, yet also all merciful. This is why the mystery of God is Jesus Christ; the gospel. Through the cross, God's wrath is exhausted and His mercy flows, that whoever believes in Him, do not have to pay for our own sins, not even having to perish, but have eternal life. Wow! Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty?
A sweet aroma of worship rises onto thee. I offer my body as a living sacrifice, lifting my heart and soul to worship you alone.
Thank u lord for the mercy and grace you've shown upon me, despite knowing my feeble and sometimes deceitful heart, and even calling me an overcomer, a saint in the making.
Dead to sin and alive in the spirit
I choose you all the time, and you will not turn your face away from me.
I have been looking too much at the results, the fruits, and I lost sight of the process where I am pruned and my character is tested, the moment where God is there every step of the way.
He is not yet done with me.
I am waiting in anticipation what you have instore for me, who you have called me to be, for your glory.
No matter how edifying I've tried, speaking life instead of death, I've come to realize if people are broken, it is hard for them receive the love you give so freely. But love anyway. That's what Jesus did.
For some, loving is tough as there stands the risk of getting hurt when love is offered with a sincere heart.
However, that's self-preservation, and isn't selfless.
"You love until there is pain,
you love through the pain,
until all that remains is love. "
you love through the pain,
until all that remains is love. "
~Mother Theresa
In the moment, Mother Teresa’s paradox is hard for me to understand. When my love is pushed and challenged, the last thing I want to do is love more.
And while these moments, these tests of love can be painful, the hurt is temporary. The hurt is short-lived, relatively speaking. The hurt will eventually dissipate once we decide the person we choose to love is worth Jesus dying for, and then we choose to die to ourselves. Even our feelings of hurt.
If we push past what we feel, if we let go of our own expectations of others, and love them in spite of ourselves, then we can learn to love even more.
Micah 6:8, to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with the Lord.
I began to wonder the possibility of being just and merciful altogether. How is that even possible?!
I find myself conflicting between the two. As my eyes are opened to the brokenness of this world, I've cried out to God upon injustice, for His wrath to come upon those who inflicted hurts, causing tormented pain upon people. Yet, I find myself repenting and praying for mercy upon these people who know not what they are doing, who are equally broken as well. I was reminded of David, who prayed for God's wrath upon his enemies. Moments later, he asked God for forgiveness and to search his heart. The cycle repeats...
The problem with the above objections is that I don’t take into account who defines what is justice. If it is God, then it could be argued, and I think reasonably so, that God’s definition of justice may include an escape clause for those who sincerely repent.
If such is the case, then God could be both perfectly merciful and perfectly just. His justice is perfectly applied to everyone, and His mercy is perfectly applied to those who have repented under that system of justice. Ergo, mercy is no longer a suspension of justice, because extending mercy is a part of justice.
Our earthly systems of justice operate in much the same way, as we often extend mercy to those who have shown remorse for their crimes.
And this explanation also seems to sync with the Bible, since God is said to be perfectly just in all His ways (Deut 32:4), yet it never promises perfect mercy to all people.
God's justice and mercy is unfathomable.. He is all just, yet also all merciful. This is why the mystery of God is Jesus Christ; the gospel. Through the cross, God's wrath is exhausted and His mercy flows, that whoever believes in Him, do not have to pay for our own sins, not even having to perish, but have eternal life. Wow! Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty?
A sweet aroma of worship rises onto thee. I offer my body as a living sacrifice, lifting my heart and soul to worship you alone.
Thank u lord for the mercy and grace you've shown upon me, despite knowing my feeble and sometimes deceitful heart, and even calling me an overcomer, a saint in the making.
Dead to sin and alive in the spirit
I choose you all the time, and you will not turn your face away from me.
The Hope of all hearts is you.. Your Love never fails..
In darkness, in triumph,
my soul shall sing of your mercy, your kindness, my offering of praise.
my soul shall sing of your mercy, your kindness, my offering of praise.
You will never fail.
I have been looking too much at the results, the fruits, and I lost sight of the process where I am pruned and my character is tested, the moment where God is there every step of the way.
He is not yet done with me.
I am waiting in anticipation what you have instore for me, who you have called me to be, for your glory.
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