It struck me from something I read that I might be "sick" – well, not really physically ailing, but maybe according to my thermometer at the moment, I’m ill. Where Jesus said to "Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength; and love your neighbor as yourself" – it’s like I can use my love of people as a measure for my love of God; or I should be able to reflect a love of people by the love I am living out for the Lord. If that’s the case, lately I feel like I’m sick.
By that thermometer, I’ve got something wrong. People get on my nerves way too quick, where I should be giving them lots of loving merciful leeway, where I should be remembering that we are all in need of grace, where I need to recall that I’m the worst sinner I know. We’re getting ready for church this morning, where "love God, love people" is the name of the game. And I feel that I fall way short on at least one of those, meaning I’m mostly falling short on both at a time when I really should know better and should be…
Well, I’m encouraged that God continues to give grace, that He continues to rain on both the wicked and the holy, that He doesn’t show favorites. And I know that if my heart can rearrange and refocus in a way that loves God in a deeper, more meaningful way – then my love for people will be a more natural outflow. And this post can be a "before" that leads to a much more positive "after". I hope.
dontcha love the reminder that we need our Great Physician?
yeah – like a holy enema. woo hoo.